As Beijing emerges from the debris of construction, a new city is revealed. All encompassing is the image of buildings flooding China’s capital. As the brick and mortar walls of the historic center crumble, countless new walls are erected to build a new capital stretching far beyond the ancient city gates. At breakneck pace the city expands and extrudes. Pushing into the new century, Beijing has become a sprawling fusion of old and new, a megalopolis struggling with the post-modern condition like any other in the world. Copy and paste practices deliver an image of a Western city of endless skylines and massive fly-over junctions. The question arises how desirable the new urban landscape is. Suburbia is the new frontier, gated communities the modus operandi.

In a collaboration between artists, architects and developers, the Soldiers at the Gates Open Forum maps, introduces and challenges Beijing’s rush towards the future. In an ongoing dialogue, the three year program dissects the city from the center to the outskirts, crossing its historic, contemporary and future urban texture. The story starts with a visual and historic perspective of the center and will concentrate on the search for identity; the second year focuses more in-depth on the effects of fortification, sprawl and the challenges that a sprawling city presents. As the discussion moves towards the suburb in the final year, we will present the outcome of the Soldiers at the Gates International Ideas Competition: a showcase of sustainable urban models in the fight against a steadily segregating suburb.

Soldiers at the Gates (2006 – 2008) is a project of Thinking Hands and Dynamic City Foundation that will take place during the annual Dashanzi International Art Festival [DIAF] in Beijing.

Soldiers at the Gates (2006 – 2008) is unique in that it brings together architects and artists, along with academics, developers and critics to exchange ideas and seek a strategy to approach the urban landscape and environment of the hugely sprawling and rapidly developing story of Beijing. Every year until 2008, Soldiers at the Gates will set up a Forum, Art and Architecture Exhibitions and a Competition based on the story of Beijing’s past, present and future.

The public is invited to attend the forum and take part in the discussion.

Curated by Wu Hua, Neville Mars, Hou Hanru and Cheng Lei.

Venue: Day 1 May 19: Gui Gongfu, Dongcheng District
Day 2 May 20: Huangcheng Gallery, Wangfujing
Day 3 May 21: 706 Space, Dashanzi Art District
Soldiers at the Gates will also host China/Chai-na, an exhibition of both artistic and architecture works. It will include architecture models and images from China, including models from Chia Tai Land Company and Shenzhen Debang and from the Netherlands, including work from OMA-AMO, NAI and KCAP and MVRDV.
Venue: 706 Space, May 13 - May 28

Supporting Partners: Royal Embassy of the Netherlands, Mondriaan Foundation, Huangcheng Art Gallery

For more information: please contact Lauren, 10-64382797, lauren.gollasch@gmail.com