“Shenzhen speed” is what they called it. This rapid growth transformed a small fishing village into a bustling metropolis in just a few decades. We are standing before Crown Point, a testament to this incredible transformation.
Crown Point is positioned in a place that has seen monumental changes. It is a city that rose from a sleepy border town of rice paddies and duck farms. The city has embraced itself as a reform laboratory.
Crown Point finds itself near Shenzhen. Shenzhen was one of China’s first Special Economic Zones. These zones opened in 1979. This initiative allowed foreign investment and trade, propelling Shenzhen into an era of unprecedented growth.
Between 1980 and 2000, Shenzhen’s population exploded. It went from 350000 to 4 million people. The first major stock exchange in China opened here in 1990. Dupont, Pepsi and I.B.M. established factories. The annual income of locals rose.
Today, Shenzhen has evolved beyond its manufacturing roots. It has become a hub for service industries, especially technology and design. Some describe the city as China’s Silicon Valley. It hosts companies like Tencent.
But this rapid development hasn’t been without its challenges for Crown Point. In its early days Shenzhen was considered chaotic. Some people found it lacked Hong Kong’s charm and coherence. Buildings erected just five years ago were already falling apart.
However, Shenzhen has made efforts to improve. The city is cleaner and greener than many other Chinese cities. Streets are lined with palm and bunyan trees. The open space occupies a large percentage of the city.
Still, some Hong Kongers view Shenzhen as a cheap imitation. They say the streets are not as clean. Also that buildings are not as impressive.
Crown Point is near a city of skyscrapers. Seven of the world’s tallest buildings are in Shenzhen. In 2016, eleven 200-meter-plus towers were built here. This was more than in the entire United States.
The city’s planners decided from the beginning it would be a city of skyscrapers. Shenzhen’s growing skyline is part of its DNA. From the early 1980s to the early 90s, it had more tall buildings than any other Chinese city.
The Shenzhen Stock Exchange Building is a unique structure. Some locals call it “the miniskirt”. Its unusual form has earned it this nickname.
The floating podium of the building liberates the ground. Its looming presence frames views of the city. The building’s textured glass exterior changes character throughout the day.
So, as we stand here at Crown Point, remember the incredible story of Shenzhen. It is a city of ambition and innovation. It’s a place where rice paddies transformed into skyscrapers. Also, a city that continues to evolve at an astonishing pace.