Press information
 |
Domenica Bona |
New from DOM publishers:
Domenica Bona
Architectural Guide Shenzhen
The southern Chinese city of Shenzhen was built almost overnight. Before the region was declared a Special Economic Zone during Deng Xiaoping's 1978 reforms, only some 30,000 farmers and fishers lived there. Since then it was built from the ground up at a rapid pace - the infamous 'Shenzhen Speed' - and grew to what is now a pulsating high-tech metropolis. It profited in its development from the neighbouring former British colony of Hong Kong, something that was for all intents and purposes part of the political strategy of the time.
The Architectural Guide Shenzhen presents the architecture of China's most famous foundational city through 150 buildings and places which represent the respective physical palimpsests, because - although Shenzhen is a young city - it has many places that can draw upon a rich history. But its rapid development, which includes an ongoing process of demolitions and new builds, makes this a city of constant transformation, and therefore the guide is an important snapshot in time. The Italian author Domenica Bona - who studied architecture and urban planning in Shenzhen and since then has been researching Chinese architecture and urban morphology - describes not only the projects in the guide, which are all presented with the help of addresses, geodata and advice on how to get to them by public transport in English and Chinese. She also uses supplementary texts to convey the greater connection between architecture and the urban context, political background and cultural geography of the city. The ten chapters are organised along a geographical route, which also corresponds with Shenzhen's urban development: from "tabula-rasa-modernism" to the rediscovery of the architectural heritage from before the foundation of the city.
At the same time as the Shenzhen Guide, DOM publishers is also making Hong Kong Modern. Architecture of the 1950s-1970s by Walter Koditek available.
|
|
|
The Architectural Guides by DOM publishers are handy travel companions for readers interested in architecture and culture. Projects are carefully selected and researched to make each individual book a ready work of reference, while background information and attractive design inspire armchair travellers to imaginary journeys. The series has received several awards which led to DOM publishers being presented with the Deutscher Verlagspreis (German Publisher Award) in 2020 and 2022. Further information at: dom-publishers.com
Downloads and links: