Macao: Parallel Worlds

Macao, a Special Administrative Region of China, is among the most densely populated regions in the world and a thriving metropolis marked by a dynamic blend of contrasting urban typologies. The city’s urban complexity, resulting from rapid growth and high-density construction, cannot be simply characterized as the “Las Vegas of the East;” as the city is sometimes referred to. Its historic center has been largely preserved and has undergone rapid development: A series of newly built, large-scale leisure and entertainment complexes defi ne the city’s iconic casino district, while urban planning and architecture in various new areas refl ect ambition and confi dence in contemporary urban development. In this publication, the curators of the Macao exhibition at the 19th Venice International Architecture Biennale, architects Wang Shu and Lu Wenyu, present the co-existing parallel worlds of Macao. The many-faceted architectural landscape of Macao is documented through Iwan Baan’s remarkable photography.