In this episode, Prof. Ali H. Akhtar (author of 1368: China & the Making of the Modern World, Stanford Univ. Press 2022) takes a closer look at China's tallest skyscraper. This video focuses on community building: can skyscrapers build community? The developers of the Shanghai Tower set out to create a skyscraper that could be "weaved into the fabric of society," bringing locals together alongside visitors and businesspeople from around the world. Like the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur and Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the Shanghai Tower features a luxury hotel and shopping mall. But are these facilities too expensive (cost prohibitive) for locals, and what do locals and administrators think about future projects like the Shanghai Tower? Community building was one of the developers' four main goals. Other goals included profitability (office space rent), symbolism (China's present and future), and sustainability (environmentally friendly design). Follow Prof. Akhtar on Twitch at: www.twitch.tv/aliakhtarPhD
What is The Professor Ali Podcast?
The official podcast of Professor Ali H. Akhtar (PhD NYU), bestselling author of 1368: China and the Making of the Modern World (Stanford University Press), Italy and the Islamic World: From Caesar to Mussolini (Edinburgh University Press), and Philosophers Sufis and Caliphs (Cambridge University Press).