Original Copies: Architectural Mimicry in Contemporary China (Spatial Habitus) Paperback – January 31, 2013

Credit: Yue Yuewei
Credit: Yue Yuewei - Credit: Yue Yuewei © Yue Yuewei.

The best knock-offs in the world are in China. There are plenty of fake designer handbags and Rolexes but China's knock-offs go way beyond fashion.

There are knock-off Apple stores that look so much like the real thing, some employees believe they are working in real Apple stores. And then there are entire knock-off cities. There are Venices with complete canals and replicas of the Doge's Palace. A Paris with an Eiffel Tower and an Arc de Triomphe. In the suburbs of any Chinese city, there are endless examples of "duplitecture."Shanghai alone has ten cities all built in the architectural styles of different European countries. Traffic permitting, it's possible to travel from "Germany" to "Italy" to "England" in the course of a few hours.

These are not theme parks or novelties like one might see in Las Vegas. Duplitecture developments are functioning communities where Chinese families are raising their children and living their lives.These communities also differ from American Chinatowns or Germantowns, which were established by immigrants. These are Chinese communities, in American- or European-styled buildings, designed primarily by Chinese architects.These replica buildings resemble the originals to varying degrees. The buildings might be larger or smaller than the real thing. They might be made of different materials or even painted another color. As such, duplitecture can become a warped caricature of the original.

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Some of the greatest hits of American architecture are copies of the greatest hits of ancient Roman architecture, which are now all being copied by the Chinese. China has proven quite successful at turning imitation into innovation in other sectors. China's iPhone knockoffs had some features that you couldn't find on Apple's phone, like removable battery and multiple sim cards, all for a lower price. It's easy to scoff at a fake Venice, but copying, as a practice, is totally underrated. Mindful iteration is often how good things become great things.