Visual City

Author: Xu Jiang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-08-01
Features: The Visual City is Xu Jiang's lament as he gazes upon the city. Through the vivid and incisive eyes of an artist, the author peels away the surface layers of urban landscapes, delving into the very essence of metropolises to reveal their historical character and contemporary state. The "city" in the visual narrative includes massive metropolises like Beijing and Shanghai, where the author examines their history, present, architecture, and ecology; it also encompasses cultural and natural landscapes such as West Lake, where the author lives and works, pursuing a cultural quest for its seasonal beauty and ever-changing scenery; and it extends to cities with distinct personalities like Berlin, Istanbul, and Tehran, where, during his travels and visits, the author focuses on their culture, geography, ethnicity, and folk traditions through a "visual lens." All of this gives the book both a grasp of urban history and humanistic connections, raising critical questions about how tradition can be revitalized in contemporary urban development. On the other hand, it is filled with vigilance and critique against the landscape-ification of modern urban construction. Through incisive analyses of urban development and public art, the author calls for the importance of cultural construction for cities.
The topic of cities has never been brought before the culturally conscientious with such urgency. "The ever-increasing functional demands of modern cities, the ever-expanding spatial demands of urban populations, and the pursuit of grandeur and novelty fostered by modern ideals are pushing city skyscrapers ever higher into the clouds." "Humans will lose their true mountains and rivers, the authentic vitality of the earth, due to excessive construction."
Recognizing the contradictions between functionality and aesthetics, modern demands and cultural quality, architectural technology and construction philosophies in today's urban development, Xu Jiang, while lamenting the loss of a "homeland," steadfastly clings to the sentiment of "nostalgia," loudly emphasizing the value of "memory" for cities, and calling for the adherence to the guidance of "historical context" in urban construction. He advocates using "natural moderation" as the standard for urban development and urges "liberating one's imagination—about home, about the diverse relationships between heaven, earth, and humanity—from the confines of functional buildings." "Let architecture, as architecture, be connected to life, intertwined with humanity."
Such a "visual" perspective distinctly highlights a rich humanistic spirit and unique cultural attention in books on urban architecture. Coupled with abundant images and vivid visual effects, it is a highly cultural and engaging read.