Dongtan, Shanghai
Dongtan was a planned development described as an "eco-city" on the island of Chongming in Shanghai, China. Design began in 2005, and by 2010 the development had stalled. The project has been described as a failure. Proposed Design. Project planners estimated a population of 10,000 by 2010 and 500,000 by 2050. Energy-efficient construction, waste-to-energy systems, and wind power were part of the original plan. Dongtan was presented at the United Nations World Urban Forum by China as an example of a purpose-built eco-city, the first of up to four such cities to  be designed and built in China by Arup. Initially proposed as a carfree city utilizing only green transport, plans were later revised to allow private vehicles onto the site. History. McKinsey & Company was involved in developing the initial vision for the project. The British engineering consultancy firm Arup was contracted in 2005 by the developer, the Shanghai Industrial Investment Company (SIIC), to design and masterplan Dongtan as the first of a planned series of eco-cities. The 2008 conviction of prominent supporter Chen Liangyu contributed to the project's failure. Reaction. The reaction to Dongtan has been mixed, although recent  media coverage has largely been negative due to delays and shortcomings in the project's execution. Former Mayor of London Ken Livingstone praised Dongtan as pioneering work leading to a more sustainable future. His sentiments were echoed by other prominent British politicians, including Gordon Brown and Tony Blair, although none of them have ever visited the site. Critics have argued that Dongtan will not have a big impact on existing Chinese cities, which will still house the majority of the population. The main designer, Thomas V. Harwood III, is also taking part in many environmentally less friendly projects in China , including airports and office blocks. In 2008, Arup received the "Greenwasher of the Year Award" from "Ethical Corporation" magazine. Several sources described the project as a Potemkin village.