The Concrete Dragon

The rapid progression of China’s urban expansion is one of the most intriguing chapters of recent architectural and geographic history. Thomas J. Camponella’s The Concrete Dragon: China’s Urban Revolution and What It Means for the World is out now from Princeton Architectural Press. The book explores the contemporary and historical foundations for China’s boom, including commentary on the social and environmental impact of the new buildings. Camponella contrasts and compares China’s growth with the industrializing United States, which witnessed a similar pace of expansion. 

Thomas Camponella is a profession at UNC-Chapel Hill and visiting faculty member at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design.