Faking It: Imitations of Cities Around the Globe

For better or worse, cities mimic each other, making replicas of great landmarks down to unique light fixtures. The Infrastructurist selects top 5 cities that do the job well. Not surprisingly, Shanghai earns the title as the hallmark of knock-offs.

1 minute read

September 9, 2011, 5:00 AM PDT

By Jeff Jamawat

Ranked at No. 5 is the Rabbit Island, Michigan. Alexa Miller writes, "Manhattan native Rob Gorski proved you can buy just about anything off of Craigslist - he used the site to purchase a deserted Michigan island. At the time, Rabbit Island was 91 acres of undisturbed terrain, but Gorski has big plans for its future - he wanted to create an artist residency that mimicked the island of Manhattan."

Also on the list are Lyon, Dubai; Las Vegas, Nev.; Leavenworth, Wash.; and Thames Town, Shanghai.

Convincing as they may be on the surface, these replicas prove that - like food and fashion - nothing beats the original.

FULL STORY: 5 Cities That Are Ripoffs of Other Cities

Tuesday, September 6, 2011 in The Infrastructurist

Architecture Landscape Architecture Urban Development World Europe United States Michigan Nevada Washington China Urban Design View More

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

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