China's Abandoned "Wonderland"

Once billed as China's answer to Disneyland, the now-rusting ruins of Wonderland attest to the unsustainability of China's development industry.

1 minute read

December 16, 2011, 11:00 AM PST

By Michael Dudley

Photographer David Gray documents the deserted hulk of "Wonderland", abandoned by its developer years ago. Farmers who had been evicted from the land are now returning to farm in its shadow.

"Situated on an area of around 100 acres, and 45 minutes drive from the center of Beijing, are the ruins of ‘Wonderland'. Construction stopped more than a decade ago, with developers promoting it as ‘the largest amusement park in Asia'. Funds were withdrawn due to disagreements over property prices with the local government and farmers. So what is left are the skeletal remains of a palace, a castle, and the steel beams of what could have been an indoor playground in the middle of a corn field.

All these structures of rusting steel and decaying cement, are another sad example of property development in China involving wasted money, wasted resources and the uprooting of farmers and their families."

FULL STORY: China’s Deserted Fake Disneyland

Wednesday, December 14, 2011 in yahoo! Finance

Urban Development China

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Start Learning

Advertise with us

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.