Imagine what it would be like if you could walk through the streets of Europe, then take a left and be in Australia, then take a right and be walking down an American suburban street… all in the matter of a few hours. Well, right now in China you can!
These themed housing developments mostly cater to individuals who desire to live in foreign places. There is even a development just outside of Shanghai where you can walk from one themed housing development to another.
The place, fittingly called One City Nine Towns, is a virtual copy of famous places. You can literally go from Britain to Spain just by walking or riding a bike.
Aside from the one in Shanghai, there is also an Orange County in a town north of Beijing.
The Chinese have sought to perfectly replicate the settings of famous cities around the world. When you go to Thames Town, for example, you will be surrounded by traditional English-style houses, and there is even a pub where you can rest. And just in case you forget where you are, there is a statue of Winston Churchill to serve as a reminder.
Shanghai-based planner Paul Rice said that the town replication design is not just a façade, but is also based on how a traditional English town is planned.
However, these housing developments are viewed mostly as a novelty, having failed to attract the buyers that it targeted. Only a few people have so far moved in.
But this One City is famous for commercials and as a backdrop for prenuptial photos.
“Maybe half the car ads I see on the metro in the morning have Thames Town as a backdrop, or on the TV, if you pay attention to that yogurt commercial, in the background are the streets of Thames Town,” declared Rice.
Aside from China, there are other places in Asia that have copied the housing designs and styles and even used the names of famous places. These developments intend to ride on the fame and glamor of their respective famous places. Consider these: Hong Kong has a gated community named Palm Springs; Turkey has its own Orange County, but modeled the resort after a Dutch fishing village; and the Philippines has the South Forbes Golf City, where the houses are modeled after the designs of those found in Bali, Miami and the Mediterranean.
Truly, these themed housing developments want to create an impression of wealth and affluence on the general market. The buyers belong to an exclusive group of which only a few can afford to feel as if they’re living in a foreign land while staying at home.
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By Von Capulong on 21-04-2012
