While I am at home right now, a friend of mine sent me a web link that showcases Beijing’s new CCTV building (artist rendition shown at left); the self described “propaganda arm of the Chinese ruling communist party.”
Interestingly enough (at least to me anyway) is that we saw this building under construction last January. 
Those of you who know me already know that I am “elevationally challenged” when on and near the edge of very tall things so I must admit that I am not too sure I want to go inside this building with its glass floors. However, from the street level it is very cool.
As the article points out, the modern-world building is engineered and constructed “… by a nation … allergic to political reform and (yet) still insistent on calling itself communist …” showing that China is indeed branching out to the world even if only visually by using many foreign architects.
By my observation, when a new residential apartment building is being designed, the architects get to pick from either Design #1 or Design #1 or if they are feeling particularly creative, they can choose Design #1. But for office buildings; curves, angles, jagged points,cantilevers, are all used in various ways to create a strong contrast to the myriad of typical cookie cutter apartment buildings being constructed everywhere. At first glance, the various wild shapes and designs seem to conflict with each other but a skyline that intially appears to be lacking a visual plan is actually what makes it work so well - the "architectural cacophany" working in step with the cultural cacophany!
The timing of this web-article (20July) is great since I have long intended to write about some of the unusual new architecture in China but just never seemed to get around to it, so to keep you guys interested while I am at home, I am using this article as my motivational prod to complete that goal. Here are photos of the CCTV under
construction, the Bird's Nest (above), The Bubble (right), and The Egg (below)- which are all referenced in the article. 
Those of you who know me already know that I am “elevationally challenged” when on and near the edge of very tall things so I must admit that I am not too sure I want to go inside this building with its glass floors. However, from the street level it is very cool.
As the article points out, the modern-world building is engineered and constructed “… by a nation … allergic to political reform and (yet) still insistent on calling itself communist …” showing that China is indeed branching out to the world even if only visually by using many foreign architects.
By my observation, when a new residential apartment building is being designed, the architects get to pick from either Design #1 or Design #1 or if they are feeling particularly creative, they can choose Design #1. But for office buildings; curves, angles, jagged points,cantilevers, are all used in various ways to create a strong contrast to the myriad of typical cookie cutter apartment buildings being constructed everywhere. At first glance, the various wild shapes and designs seem to conflict with each other but a skyline that intially appears to be lacking a visual plan is actually what makes it work so well - the "architectural cacophany" working in step with the cultural cacophany!
The timing of this web-article (20July) is great since I have long intended to write about some of the unusual new architecture in China but just never seemed to get around to it, so to keep you guys interested while I am at home, I am using this article as my motivational prod to complete that goal. Here are photos of the CCTV under
construction, the Bird's Nest (above), The Bubble (right), and The Egg (below)- which are all referenced in the article. 
Enjoy the photos and the web link: (for the web challenged: you can click the link and then use your Back button to return here to finish reading)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/mcclatchy/20080720/wl_mcclatchy/2994196
Of course, since Chengdu is the focal point of my adventure I didn’t want to leave it out, so I am also including some of the local Chengdu starchitecture as well. I return next week (no, I doubt I’ll go to any Olympic events; Beijing is 1,000 miles away), but I’ll be sure to
keep an eye out for any new construction of interest. Shouldn’t be too hard to find – there is so much construction going on that I have heard the new National Bird of China is the “Crane”!
Of course, since Chengdu is the focal point of my adventure I didn’t want to leave it out, so I am also including some of the local Chengdu starchitecture as well. I return next week (no, I doubt I’ll go to any Olympic events; Beijing is 1,000 miles away), but I’ll be sure to
keep an eye out for any new construction of interest. Shouldn’t be too hard to find – there is so much construction going on that I have heard the new National Bird of China is the “Crane”!
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