Research & DesignEcological Restoration Shanghai2020Currently we are working on an ecological restoration research & design study for the city of Shanghai Urban Village regeneration2018URBAN LANGUAGE is currently working on a regeneration project for an urban village in Changsha. Conceptual Design proposals have been approved. More news soon... Research & Consult at VankeFebruary 2017Since February 2017 Harry den Hartog works as researcher and consultant on new town planning and design issues at Vanke. Research on residential high-riseSince January 2015 (ongoing)Research with Tongji University on carbon emissions and sustainable development of residential high-rise complexes in the Yangtze Delta. Living on Water2015Urban Language performed preliminary research on possibilities for floating neighborhoods in China, commissioned by DeltaSync Salon and excursion on urban villagesNovember 2014Organizing a salon and visits to Shanghai-based non-profit groups for the World Banks main economic expert and specialist on climate change, with as central theme the role of urban villages, the position of migrants and gentrification. Resilient Port DevelopmentNovember 2014Capacity building by workshop in Singapore on resilient port development in the context of urbanizing deltas, organised by the Future Cities Laboratory at ETH and Delft University of Technology. New Town development in Zhejiang2014Consulting for World Bank on a New Town development in Zhejiang Province Urban Sustainability in China2013Research on urban sustainability and liveability in Chinese new towns commissioned by the European Commission. Urban Design Workshop in IndiaNovember-December 2012Urban Language was invited to participate in a 10-day cross-disciplinairy urban design workshop on the development of a new town in central India. Research for Moscow Urban Forum 2012Autumn 2012Urban Language was asked as Chinese representative by the organizing committee of the Moscow International Urban Forum «Emerging World Cities» to do preliminary research on the quality of life as experienced by residents of Beijing and Shanghai. Dutch New WorldsScenarios in Physical Planning and Design in the Netherlands, 1970-2000Shanghai - Zurich - Rotterdam, June 2012"Our decisions shape our future, but we know little about how. To find out, planners and designers construct vivid images of what could be." Urban Language translated Christian Salewski's fascinating book on the use of scenarios in physical planning and design in the Netherlands into Dutch. Edge of PublicExhibition + book + forum in Hong Kong's Kowloon Park, curated by Liu Yuyang, Li Xiangning, and Harry den HartogHong Kong, 16 February - 23 April, 2012In the countless new town developments in China, we witnessed an increasingly privatized domain both spatially and socially. What is the real shape of the public domain and how can architects respond to this phenomenon? Critical advice on developing a new town (2)Liaoning, 2011Urban Language was asked to give an independent critical reflection on existing plans for a new town near Shenyang supplemented by suggestions for further development. Redevelopment plan for an islandVladivostok / Shanghai, 2011Urban Language consulted with the international communications and strategy to be followed, and made a master plan, in a design competition regarding the redevelopment of a Russian island near Vladivostok. Critical advice on developing a new town (1)Beijing, 2011Urban Language was asked to give an independent critical reflection on existing plans for a new town near Beijing supplemented by suggestions for further development. Advice on various international projectsShanghai, 2011In the autumn of 2011, Urban Language worked on several studies and consultations commissioned by professionals related with Tongji University. Urban China magazineShanghai, 2011 - 2012Urban Language consults regularly with the urban research center of Urban China magazine. Harry den Hartog was member of the editorial board of #51 and #52. Area development in rural HenanZhengzhou, 2011Urban Language has been consulted by a local developer for independent critical advice in an area development in rural Henan. Shanghai New TownsSearching for community and identity in a sprawling metropolisShanghai, 2010Research on the rapid urbanization and decentralization in the direct controlled municipality Shanghai, resulting in the book Shanghai New Towns - Searching for community and identity in a sprawling metropolis, published by 010 Publishers. From Almere to QingpuShanghai, 13-19 May 2010Urban Language coordinated an excursion for the International New Town Institute (INTI) with as central theme the new towns and new cities around Shanghai. Urban FluxBeijing, Summer 2009The Chinese magazine Urban Flux invited Harry den Hartog as a guest-editor to make this special issue on Dutch Architects and China. The magazine also discusses the state of architecture in the Netherlands. BNSP workshop discussionAmsterdam, 22 October 2009Urban Language organized a workshop discussion on the urbanization of the Dutch countryside during a BNSP Congress. Shanghai DialoguesShanghai, 17 October 2009Urban Language mediated the Chinese contacts during a Sino-Dutch conference, as part of the Shanghai International Creative Industry Week. Shanghai GlobalismShanghai, 2009Organisation of a study tour to the 'One City - Nine Towns' development around Shanghai commissioned by New York University. Urban GalleriesNanjing - Rotterdam, 2009Organization of a study trip through Germany and the Netherlands for a group of young Chinese designers and critics with a special interest in museums Are cities more important than countries?Rotterdam, 2008-2009Publication commissioned by the Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS) on the occasion of its 50th anniversary Urban MeetingsRotterdam, October 2008Urban Language made a series of reports and an essay, commissioned by the Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS), meant to explore the outlines of an 'Urban Agenda' for the 21st century. HuigExecutive-editor of Huig#8 and Huig#9Rotterdam, 2007Harry den Hartog was executive-editor of Huig#8 and Huig#9, the biannual magazine of the Rotterdam Academy of Architecture and Urban Design. NL2040 - Hints for laterThe Hague - Rotterdam, 2007Harry den Hartog wrote a number of columns, reports and an extensive essay as input for a series of meetings and debates with the aim to give an 'alternative' vision on future spatial tasks for The Netherlands. Living farmyardsOverijssel, 2006The Dutch Province of Overijssel counts thousands of farmyards. Yearly several hundreds of them loose their agricultural function. The province asked us to do a research on the possibilities for transformation of abandoned and old farmyards. Private TerritoryStudy on the rise of private controlled outdoor spaces in the NetherlandsRotterdam, 2005-2006Following his graduation project at the Academy of Architecture and Urban Design in Rotterdam Harry den Hartog researched the rise of private controlled territories in The Netherlands. EXURBIALiving outside the cityRotterdam, 2005-2006The book Exurbia - living outside the city, made by Harry den Hartog, criticizes the fast changing Dutch countryside. The new spatial policy in the Netherlands seems to be a threat for the countryside and the edges between urban and rural. This book gives some critical comment on the new policy, supplemented with appropriate suggestions. | Our PublicationsChina Urban Lab: Nut en noodzaak van experimentenPublished in: RooilijnAmsterdam, November 2016 Article for Rooilijn, a journal by the University of Amsterdam on science and policy in spatial planning Attempts to Control UrbanizationPublished in: Volume #39Amsterdam, April 2014 Article on China’s Hukou System: Attempts to Control Urbanization by Strictly Separating Urban and Rural Correspondent for Mark magazinePublished in: Mark magazineSince 2009 Harry den Hartog regularly contributes articles to Mark magazine, a platform for the practice and perception of architecture at the dawn of the third millennium. Urban Tensions in the Yangtze River DeltaPublished in: IOSPressDelft, April 2014 Essay contribution in the book 'New Urban Configurations'. Eastern PromisesPublished in: Hantje Catz VerlagVienna, June 2013 We were invited by MAK (Austrian Museum of Applied Arts / Contemporary Art) to contribute a series of critical articles on pioneering architectural projects for an exhibit and accompanying catalog 'Contemporary Architecture and Spatial Practices in East Asia'. Shopping for HistoryPublished in: Mark #43Zhujiajiao, April/May 2013 Article on an urban renewal project in an ancient Chinese water town west of Shanghai. Correspondent for ArchiNedPublished in: ArchiNedSince 2004 Harry den Hartog regularly contributes articles to ArchiNed and made temporarily part of the editorial team. 重细节与长远规划Published in: Society and Public WelfareMarch 2013 中国应复制与改进欧洲城市规划与设计的途径 Urban Language contributed an article at the request of a renowned Chinese magazine Publication on Moscow's new town developmentShanghai, Autumn 2012Urban Language was invited as critical independent expert to contribute a chapter to a book on conurbations, commissioned by the Moscow Urban Planning Institute. This book serves as a moment of reflection in the development of a new city near Moscow. Quality towers over quantity in building citiesPublished in: China DailyShanghai, 22 June 2012 Opinion piece for the newspaper China Daily, by Harry den Hartog. The inducement for writing this article was the Joint Declaration on the EU-China Partnership on Urbanization, signed by European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and China's Vice-Premier Li Keqiang on 3 May 2012. From central control towards laissez fairePublished in: S+ROShanghai, June 2012 Article about the similarities and differences between the Netherlands and China in the field of urban and regional planning. Everyday Theme Parks 日常主题公园Published in: Urban China magazine #52Shanghai, May 2012 Essay about the role of malls in contemporary China, with references to worldwide experiences, the decay of existing cities, an urban renaissance, and of course Michael Sorkin's 'Variations on a theme park: the new American city and the end of public space'. From Qingpu to JiadingPublished in: T+A magazineShanghai, January 2012 Paper on the urbanization of the countryside around Shanghai and the role of architects in creating new cities. Haphazard growth in a land of plentyPublished in: DAMn°28Shanghai, April 2011 Essay on extremely fast and uncoordinated urban developments in Shanghai. Creación de comunidad e identidad en los pueblos nuevos de ShanghaiPublished in: Materia Arquitectura #2Shanghai, November 2010 Essay on the creation of new communities and new identities in Shanghai for a Chilean magazine. World Expo ShanghaiPublished in: de ArchitectShanghai, May 2010 Report on the World Expo in Shanghai for the Dutch magazine 'the Architect'. Bubbles in Shanghai: decentralization, speculation and the housing shortagePublished in: SR+OShanghai, April 2010 Essay on the effects of spatial and administrative decentralization, increasing speculation and huge housing shortage. Letter from SichuanPublished in: MARK magazine #23Chengdu, December 2009 - January 2010 Report about reconstruction activities in the earthquake devastated area. Green Fields, Orange CloudsChicago, September 2009Essay on urban - rural relations in American cities, notably Chicago Greener City, Better LifePublished in: Urban China #37Shanghai, August 2009 Essay for the magazine Urban China on the meaning of parks as public spaces, in east and west Dutch architects building global architecture in China?Published in: Urban Flux #7Shanghai, May 2009 Essay on the works and experiences of Dutch architects in China. Urban Language was also invited as a guest-editor for a special edition about 'Dutch architecure'. (circa 60 pages). The magazine also discusses recent projects and developments in the Netherlands. Sidewalk versus MallPublic spaces under threatPublished in: Urban Flux #6Shanghai, April 2009 Essay on the similarities and differences between the Netherlands and China, regarding the use and meaning of public spaces. Building your own housePublished in: id+cNanjing, April 2009 Column on private commissioned housing in the Netherlands for the Chinese-language magazine id+c Architecture in the NetherlandsPublished in: id+cNanjing, January 2009 Essay on recent developments in the field of architecture in the Netherlands. This essay is also an introduction for an extended special on Dutch Design. Greenery & CommunityCommunity gardens in New YorkPublished in: Club Donny #1Rotterdam, Spring/Summer 2008 Essay for Club Donny, a new biennial magazine on the personal experience of nature in the urban environment. Beijing 080808The meaning of the Olympic Games for BeijingPublished in: de ArchitectBeijing, August 2008 Host country China intends to use the Olympic Games that will take place this year in Beijing to show off what it has achieved. What is the impact of the Olympic Games on this city? The Limits to Growth?How Beijing is preparing for the futurePublished in: de ArchitectBeijing, August 2008 Beijing, like Shanghai, wants to present itself as a model city for the future. How will Beijing continue to develop itself after the Games? Olympic Games, a motor for urban renewalConversation with Kees ChristiaansePublished in: NAi PublishersRotterdam, May 2008 Urban Language interviewed Kees Christiaanse and others about the usefulness of Olympic Games in the Netherlands. These conversations are included in the book Olympic Fire, published by NAI Publishers and edited by Winy Maas. Tamed 'wild living'Municipal management versus freedom of buildingPublished in: de ArchitectAlmere, June 2007 Over the coming years the municipality of Almere will make 30,000 sites available to private individuals so that they can build homes as they want to. A new balance has to be found between municipal management and this new freedom. City and CountrysidePhysical planning and design in contemporary ChinaPublished in: de ArchitectShanghai/Beijing, May 2006 The relation between the rural and urban economy have been changing ever since China became a World Trade Organization member in 2001. To overcome the dichotomy between city and countryside, farmers must find a way to join the world economy. Collective Housing in SuburbiaPublished in: SR&ORotterdam, October 2005 Article (in Dutch) on new forms of collective housing in suburbs and new towns in the Netherlands. China imports European flavoured suburbPublished in: de Blauwe KamerBeijing, April 2005 Article on a new community in Beijing (Dutch only). Roadside tourism in ChinaPublished in: de Blauwe KamerZhejiang / Anhui, februari 2005 Article (in Dutch) on emerging rural tourism Rice with gravyHolland Village in ShanghaiPublished in: ArchiNedShanghai, 31 January 2005 Article on a 'Dutch' new town in Shanghai. | News about usInterviewed by CCTV19 October 2018During a conference on new town developments Harry den Hartog was briefly interviewed on urbanization in China Interviewed on metropolitan agriculture by Shenzhen TVShenzhen, July 2016Interviewed on metropolitan agriculture by Shenzhen TV Urban AgendaNovember 2013Visiting Beijing as participant at EU China Urbanisation Partnership Forum. Urban Interiors in contemporary ChinaInvited speaker at World Interiors EventAmsterdam,7 September 2013Creating liveable cities in ChinaDebate at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de LausanneLausanne, 23 October 2012Awarded by Shanghai Culture Fund for reprint Shanghai New TownsShanghai, August 2012Study session on high-rise in AsiaShanghai, 19 September 2012Day trip for Stylos to Songjiang and JiadingShanghai, 18 July 2012Debate in Rockbund Art Museum: Disappearing Rural ShanghaiDiscussion on 'Disappearing Rural Shanghai'Shanghai, 29 June 2012Interviewed by South China Morning Post: 'A space in the crowd'Hong Kong, 23 March 2012Book presentation 'Edge of Public'Hong Kong, 16 February 2012Today our bilingual booklet Edge of Public was presented in Hong Kong's Kowloon Park, during the opening ceremony of the Hong Kong & Shenzhen Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism \ Architecture 2011-2012. Shanghai New Towns to see on the UABB biennial in ShenzhenShenzhen, 8 December 2011 - 10 February 2012Lecture at the Sun Yat-sen UniversityGuangzhou, December 2012Needed: Architecture with Chinese characteristicsInterviewed by Shanghai DailyShanghai, 25&26 October 2011Presentation by Urban Language in WuhanWuhan, 27 October 2011Beijing International Book Fair 2011Beijing, 30 August - 5 September 2011Blue eyes looking at ChinaBeijing, 4 September 2011Urban Language in debate during the Beijing International Book Fair 2011 Photos by Urban Language on display in the NAiRotterdam, 1 July 2011 - 15 January 2012During the exhibition Daring Design in the NAi, some photos by Urban Language were exhibited. Shanghai New Towns rewarded by 'Best Dutch Book Designs 2010'Exhibited from 11 June to 17 July 2011 in the Stedelijk Museum in AmsterdamAmsterdam, 11 June to 17 July 2011Book review by Time + Architecture magazineChinese-language review of our book 'Shanghai New Towns'Shanghai, May/June 2011Interviewed by Urban China magazineShanghai, June 2011...on sprawling cities and the edge between urban and rural. Public lecture and debate in the Shanghai Study Center of the Hong Kong UniversityShanghai, 7 March 2011Presentation of the main findings of our recently published book "Shanghai New Towns - Searching for community and identity in a sprawling metropolis". Exported to ChinaShanghai, February 2011'Shanghai New Towns. Searching for community and identity in a sprawling metropolis' is also available now in Chinese bookstores. Book Launch and debate in Trouw Amsterdam / De VerdiepingAmsterdam, 30 November 2010Presentation of our book Shanghai New Towns - Searching for community and identity in a sprawling metropolis followed by a debate. Presentation in Tai WuRotterdam, 20 September 2010Presentation in Tai Wu for an association of architects on recent architectural developments in China. Local wisdom and globalizationShanghai, 20 July 2010Urban Language was member of the jury during the CUMULUS Shanghai Conference 2010 at the College of Design & Innovation. First copy Shanghai New TownsShanghai, 14 May 2010Today a first (preliminary) copy of our book 'Shanghai New Towns - Searching for community and identity in a sprawling metropolis' was handed over to Sun Jiwei, the District Governor of Shanghai's Jiading district, during a conference organized in cooperation with INTI, in the VIP lounge of the Dutch Pavilion 'Happy Street' during the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai. Presentation on urban developments in ShanghaiDelft, 28 November 2009Presentation on the turbulent urban developments in Shanghai during the international conference 'The New Urban Question - Urbanism beyond Neo-Liberalism' that took place from November 26th to 28th, 2009 at Zuiderkerk in Amsterdam and Delft University of Technology (TU Delft). Interviewed by the Chinese-language newsmagazine Modern WeeklyShanghai, 3 October 2009This well-read newsmagazine, which has a wide circulation, interviewed Harry den Hartog on the changing urban-rural relations in China. Interviewed by Urban China magazineShanghai, March 2009We were interviewed by Chinese-language Urban China magazine on 'the ideal city'. Looking for greenThe Hague (Nl.), 29 September 2008Lecture on community gardens during the debate 'Greenspotting Haaglanden' in Stroom The Hague Book launch Exurbia - Living outside the cityAmsterdam, 5 January 2007Today a first copy of our book was handed over to Government Advisor on Landscape Dirk Sijmons in Architectura & Natura. | 哈利评城 / blogShanghai: Timid signs of recovery and lessons to learnPublished in: Spread stories not the virusFebruary 2020 城市大型活动的“遗产”需要明智的策略 Reusing ‘Mega Events’ Venues Requires a Smart StrategyPublished in: The Paper / SixthToneDecember 2017 上海为何总在全球宜居城市排行榜的中游 Shanghai: Exotic, Modern, Dynamic — But Never ‘Livable’?Published in: The Paper / SixthToneOctober 2017 特色小镇的“特色”从何而来 Tè Sè Xiǎo Zhèn: a counterbalance of the metropolis, or a tool to bring the metropolis to the fields?Published in: The Paper / SixthToneApril 2017 除了拆围墙,小区更需要多样性的功能 How Tearing Down Walls Will Open Up China’s CitiesPublished in: The Paper / SixthToneFebruary 2017 中国城市还是“城市实验室”吗 Why ‘Urban Labs’ Hold the Future for Chinese CitiesPublished in: The Paper / SixthToneJanuary 2017 购物广场的兴起,带来退化的公共空间 / How China’s ‘Mall Mania’ Destroys Local CommunitiesPublished in: The Paper / SixthToneDecember 2016 Better City, Better Life begins with a good streetPublished in: ArchiNedShanghai, 31 May 2010 A visit to 'Happy Street' with John Körmeling. Local GlobalPublished in: Architectuur Lokaal2010 Serie of columns for the Dutch magazine Architectuur Lokaal on architecture and commissioning in China. Report from ChinaPublished in: ArchiNedHangzhou, 19 February 2009 The volume of reporting on the rampant growth of Chinese cities is causing a sense of China fatigue in The Netherlands. But China remains a very country fascinating nonetheless. |