August 2, 2004

Reports indicate that the Chinese government has suspended the CCTV (China Central Television) Headquarters project in Beijing. The building, designed by Rem Koolhaas’ Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, has been the subject of controversy in China. Many critics regard the $730 million project as too expensive and unnecessary. It has been widely publicized that Wen Jiabao, China’s Premier, found the large-scale facility for the Chinese state broadcaster a waste of public resources. This, in light of a recent directive issued by the State Council curbing China’s heated construction boom. Wen is the head of the Council. The Reuters news agency reports the project has been cancelled, as does Dongfeng Zhoukan, a magazine closely linked to Xinhua, the state news agency. Meanwhile officials at CCTV acknowledge the project’s status is at the very least up in the air. Officials at OMA, meanwhile, could not be reached for comment.

Daniel Elsea

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