REALITY |Odd Buildings

Though the mind is intangible， it can somehow be visualized through many kinds of tangible objects， such as urban landscapes. The plethora of ridiculous architecture that emerged against the backdrop of China’s recent rapid economic development actually evidences social issues. These urban structures， either ill-conceived vanity projects or knock-off versions of famous foreign buildings， were churned out for the sake of catering to skewed social values， beliefs and aesthetics， such as the tendency to flaunt overnight wealth or chase money and power. Departing from practical functionality as a space for living， today’s architecture is designed and built to prove social status and values. Although attitudes about these odd buildings may ultimately change as time goes by， the stories behind them will forever be etched in the cities’ histories.

Reflecting on Exaggeration

With urban landscapes in various Chinese cities as the key visual identifier， these pictures of unnecessarily-huge and oddly-designed buildings successfully illuminate misplaced worship of foreign culture， eagerness to show off and a lack of national confidence. In documentary fashion， Zheng Chuan took a critical stand against amoral social exaggeration represented by the surreal superficial landscapes. This 100-meter-tall Eiffel Tower replica is located in a residential area in Hangzhou， Zhejiang Province.