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Sunday 3 June 2012
Copy of Alpine Hamlet opens to jibes
A group of Austrians whose scenic mountain village has been
copied down to the statues by a Chinese developer attended yesterday’s opening
in China for the high-end residential project. But they were still miffed about
how the firm did it.
Associated Press in Huizhou, Guangdong 03 June 2012
A group of Austrians whose scenic mountain village has been copied down to the statues by a Chinese developer attended yesterday’s opening in China for the high-end residential project. But they were still miffed about how the firm did it.
Minmetals Land’s replica of Hallstatt, a quaint Austrian alpine hamlet, is located in subtropical southern China.
The original is a centuries-old village of 800 people and a Unesco heritage site that survives on tourism.
The copycat is a housing estate that thrives on China’s new rich. In a China famous for pirated products, the replica Hallstatt sets a new standard.
The Chinese Hallstatt features a church spire, a town square ringed by pastel-colored buildings and angel statues. They’re among architectural flourishes inspired by the original.
Members of the Hallstatt delegation said they were proud to be copied but also disappointed with the way it was done.
“They should have asked the owners of the hotel and the other buildings if we agree with the idea to rebuild Hallstatt in China, and they did not,” hotel owner Monika Wenger said ahead of the opening ceremony. “And that was a big problem we had with this project here.”
While construction was continuing at the Chinese project, located in Guangdong province’s Huizhou city, about 60 kilometres northeast of Hong Kong, the site was already open to visitors. But some were sceptical the copycat version would ever match the beauty of the original.
“Chinese architecture is very characteristic and stylish,” said Zhong Ping, a Huizhou resident. “Just work on your own style. Why do you have to copy others? Even the flowers are fake.”
1 comment:
Copy of Alpine Hamlet opens to jibes
Associated Press in Huizhou, Guangdong
03 June 2012
A group of Austrians whose scenic mountain village has been copied down to the statues by a Chinese developer attended yesterday’s opening in China for the high-end residential project. But they were still miffed about how the firm did it.
Minmetals Land’s replica of Hallstatt, a quaint Austrian alpine hamlet, is located in subtropical southern China.
The original is a centuries-old village of 800 people and a Unesco heritage site that survives on tourism.
The copycat is a housing estate that thrives on China’s new rich. In a China famous for pirated products, the replica Hallstatt sets a new standard.
The Chinese Hallstatt features a church spire, a town square ringed by pastel-colored buildings and angel statues. They’re among architectural flourishes inspired by the original.
Members of the Hallstatt delegation said they were proud to be copied but also disappointed with the way it was done.
“They should have asked the owners of the hotel and the other buildings if we agree with the idea to rebuild Hallstatt in China, and they did not,” hotel owner Monika Wenger said ahead of the opening ceremony. “And that was a big problem we had with this project here.”
While construction was continuing at the Chinese project, located in Guangdong province’s Huizhou city, about 60 kilometres northeast of Hong Kong, the site was already open to visitors. But some were sceptical the copycat version would ever match the beauty of the original.
“Chinese architecture is very characteristic and stylish,” said Zhong Ping, a Huizhou resident. “Just work on your own style. Why do you have to copy others? Even the flowers are fake.”
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