Urbanism in Asia

Dystopian sci-fi novels and movies often turn to Asia to draw their inspiration for painting the oppressing cities of the future. Walking through its bustling urban centers, I can certainly picture why. The following post seeks to render what my feelings were while I explored those areas, home to millions of people. I do not have the pretention of conducting a sociology study.

As in the culture themselves, cities are a mix of tradition of modernity. High-rise buildings are next to older buildings, with no apparent order.

View of Shanghai's business center from the Bund.

Old communist-era housings are still to be found.

It is generally not possible to buy the land. Because the land is the only thing that really appreciate in value, buildings get torn down and rebuilt. This gives the city a dynamic feeling, as buildings appear in no time. This is especially true in Japan where earthquakes have forced the whole industry to gear up for quick-building.

This 600m+ tower will be completed within a year on what used to be marshlands.

The result of such developmental speed is an urban environment that is an assault to senses, a jumble too entangled for the mind to fathom. Shops grow with no apparent nor logical order. Mobile Internet becomes an indispensable tool for finding what you need.

A view of Shinjuku in Tokyo.

A picture that could have been taken next door from the previous one: the view from the main station square in Shanghai

The feeling you get is that of islands of shops in an ocean of tighlty packed residential areas. Public transportation brings you to the middle of such islands as businesses develop around train stations. Poximity to the station is vital as most people won't have the time and patience to venture away from it.
In my uninformed opinion, this is a case against urban planning. From the apparent chaos comes order: what most people need (shops, restaurants) are fairly easy to find and close to the station - the more specific is pushed away and can only be found if you're actively looking for it.

In Tokyo, the train sytem is a mesh that blends at all levels inside the city: under, on and above the ground.

In Tokyo, train tracks lead to Tokyo Sky Tree, the latest high-rise building.

Now, every business is trying to advertise its presence as best it can. In the night, that means big neon displays. For the untrained eye, it means 

Ikebukuro in Tokyo. Blinding lights and lost tourist.

That was the "ground truth". What does it look like when you are standing at the top of these buildings? Asian features disappear.

The view from the top: details fade out