Beijing Summer! China Internship ! CAUPD 2013! ! Rebecca Hamilton, BS, MURP!
CAUPD Buildings, Haidian District!
Countryside Planning Department • Prepare presenta*ons on Oregon rural planning • Provide a Western perspec*ve • Converse with the Chinese interns • Research topics in housing, land use, and transporta*on • Explore
Transporta*on Systems Study • Examine systems at the sta*on and system levels • Iden*fy features that make systems easy to use • Iden*fy features that could be added to improve efficiency and user experience • “If the laowai can figure it out…”
Cars are #1 and every flat surface is a parking lot. !
Pedestrian environments can be challenging at times‌!
‌and sometimes they leave much to be desired‌!
…but there were many beautiful concepts as well.!
Bus system: Could be better.! • No online system map ! • Incomplete signage ! • Not intuitive for foreigners or newcomers. ! • More BRT!!
Subway system: croweded at times‌.!
…but world-class.!
Bike share: Let’s hope Portland’s system turns out better. !
High Speed Rail Network: the best in the world. !
Assignment: Take a trip to Tianjin by train, then try to get around the city. !
Everything was easy, on time, and connected to everything else.!
China’s HSR lets you live in Tianjin and commute to Beijing.!
What is there for an intern to do after work?!
Visit historical sites around Beijing‌!
Discover new fruit.!
Attend Beijing’s first TEDx conference.!
Explore the night markets.!
Visit the parks.!
Witness the new age of architecture.!
Planning Lessons from China!
Quality of life for older adults!
The economics of urbanization.!
The speed of development.!
This is the modern world.!
Collision of the new and old.!
What’s lost in the scramble to build?
Is the development a bubble waiting to pop?!
The pollution is real.!
But we have to acknowledge the desire for economic development.!
The Chinese have a genius for designing public spaces.!
Possible to find solitude in a city of 20 million.!
There’s always room for dancing.!
If you make beautiful public spaces ‌!
Music and art can be a part of everyday life.!
Thank you for your time. Take care!
Sincere thanks to: • • • • •
Drs. Yiping Fang and Connie Ozawa PSU-‐China Innovations in Urbanization program Institute for Sustainable Solutions Staff and Interns of CAUPD All Chinese friends and strangers who helped me along this summer