Philosophically western planners have been working under the assumption that city planning should look at three human modes: live, work and play; we would add two more "contribute" and "fulfill". Without these "community" modes, cities become little more than collectives for the pursuit of self interest and pleasure. Cities, to be great, must provide both economic opportunities and an identity. The identity must inspire pride, a sense of belonging and a desire to contribute, small and large, whether they refrain from littering or donate a public library.
One has only to talk to those who live in New York, London, Paris, Rome, Singapore, Tokyo etc..., about their sense of their city, their identification with it, their willingness to contribute and their sense of fulfillment and pride in being a part of it, to understand the value of "community". These ideas are not new to China, they are in fact part of China's culture and philosophical history. Daoism and Confucianism, refer to them explicitly as part of the hierarchy of societal values and individual virtues. China because of its size and the scale of its development is unique.
To be successful it must embrace its traditional culture and values, balance its present economic social needs and develop new ideas and concepts to address the challenges of its future. To develop our approach we drew on these assumptions and designed Beijing Feng Tai's financial district to be an area which addresses the needs of cities and people. A city that only serves an economic purpose, at the expense of its people, will be unhealthy; just as a city which serves only its people, without regard to economic realities, will wither.
Beijing is quickly developing into a tertiary economy, one that uses ideas and knowledge to create economic activity. The essential component to this next phase, as identified in the National and Beijing Five Year Plans, is human resources. Attracting and retaining talent is the number one goal of every developed economy and this is where Beijing Feng Tai's financial district is being poised to enjoy a high level of success. It will be a vibrant, exciting, livable environment that takes advantage of its natural and historical advantages, balances economic and social needs and provides an efficient, desirable place for talented high value people and their families to live, work, play, contribute and be fulfilled.
It will also provide a new model of urban development which is in line with China's goal of creating a balanced, scientifically sustainable and morally harmonious society.
