The Flowering of Chinese Architecture

The Flowering of Chinese Architecture
When global audiences tune in to watch the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, the world's fastest and strongest athletes won't be alone in striving for superlative achievements -- a new generation of innovative architecture is rising in China.

Fueled by a surging economy, China will soon be home to the world's largest airport, the world's first fully sustainable city, and the world's highest outdoor observation deck, to name just a few of its innovative architectural feats.

With spending on China's residential building construction growing at 7.1% annually and nonresidential construction activity increasing by 7.4 %, the world's most populated country is experiencing a building boom of unprecedented scale.

The phenomenon is reaching beyond Beijing and Shangai.

The lesser-known northern city of Harbin is remaking itself with a new urban center.

Built from scratch, a virtually instant skyline of residential and commercial skyscrapers is starting to sprout within a 285 square mile area.

Still, it's Beijing and Shanghai, the nation's most populous cities, that are attracting the most attention.

The roster of talent hired to complete projects in these two megacities reads like a Who's Who of star architects.

Holland's Rem Koolhas, Switzerland's Herzog & de Meuron, and Britain's Foster&Partners are all completing build