The development of this residential visit was driven by two major events – the formalisation of China’s entry to the WTO and Beijing’s successful bid to host the 2008 Olympics. Both events coincided late 2001 and marked a development boom in Beijing that was unparalleled with anything seen before. The resulting development climate confirmed Beijing as the obvious and natural choice for the residential trip.
Official support from the Singapore Embassy was instrumental in obtaining recognition from the Chinese governmental host organizations. In particular, the delegation was received by two of the major organizations that play an important role in influencing and controlling development, planning and construction activities in both Beijing and greater China.
At the Beijing City Planning Commission, the delegation received a detailed briefing of Beijing’s urban development and the Masterplan for the 2008 Olympics. Whilst at the Beijing Municipal Construction Commission, the group received a comprehensive account of real estate development and its related governing policies.
Given the prominent role the design institute plays in China, the visit to the largest design institute in Beijing, the Beijing Institute of Architectural Design (BIAD), was one of the high points in the trip. The briefing was delivered by the Design Master & Chief Architect, and he was supported by other senior staff members. The delegation was fortunate to have had a joint briefing by BIAD and ADP on the Paul Andreu French-designed National Grand Theatre which is one of Beijing’s most spectacular development schemes.
In addition to the role of design institute, the BIAD also gave an account of their involvement in the design development of the 2008 Olympics Center & Village, and the Beijing CBD master planning.
The delegation gained an appreciation of a mega development scheme through an overview presented by the Director for Project Administration from the Ministry of Water Resources on the South-to-North Water Transfer Scheme. The briefing covered development, financing, project management and procurement aspects of this major scheme that would serve to bring and re-distribute water from the abundant South to the deficient North.
The Chief Architect of HKI Development’s Fortune Plaza Scheme, a major CBD development, delivered an account of the project from its international design competition to its then current design development stage.
The delegation was warmly hosted to a dinner and briefing by Ascott International Management Pte Ltd at The Ascott, Beijing.
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