ABSTRACT
In 2007, engineers and construction workers are to begin transforming rural Chongming Island, in the Yangtze River near Shanghai, into a city. Arup, the firm preparing the master plan for this new development, called Dongtan, touts it as “the world’s first sustainable city.” Plans call for a city of 50,000 by 2010, with the population expected to reach 500,000 by 2040. The development will cover 4,600 hectares, less than a fifth of the entire island. Windmills will dominate the skyline, and turf, vegetation, and solar panels will cover the roofs. Some 80 percent of solid waste will be recycled, while organic waste will be composted or burned to supply heat and power. The only motorized vehicles allowed on the streets will be powered by electricity or fuel cells.1
