China Segment

I thought that this picture warranted publication. From a demolition site along Huangpi South (黄陂南) Road near Zhaojiabang (肇嘉浜) Road in Shanghai. Now part of an access road and subway construction site (line 10 I think).

I probably saw more construction in my first year here in Shanghai than in all my years in Canada combined. I guess we’re finished building, even if it means we’re stuck with a few eyesores from the late 1960s and 70s architectural ’styles’ (i.e. waffle iron buildings in downtown Vancouver, Arts Tower at the U of S). Here, many ‘new’ buildings are ‘old’ in a matter of years, partly because of shoddy construction, partly due to pollution making them look older than they actually are.

Safety is often taken for granted in Western countries. Our biggest worries are usually heart disease and cancer. In China, workplace safety - especially in mining and construction - are not automatic. Although these chaps in the picture were all wearing helmets, the hydraulic excavator (yes, I looked it up) above them is not as surely placed as you’d like. It also struck me as a rather odd way to take down large buildings made of concrete.

Feds

P.S. Looks like they’re saving all the rebar for another project.

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