July 21-22, 2011
Thursday–Friday, 9am-5pm
AIA LU (HSW/SD) 14 units
Since the 2008 Beijing Olympics, tourism has been booming in China. Although a frequent target for environmentalists, China has begun to aggressively pursue ecotourism, as it hopes to leverage the natural beauty of the countryside to generate much-needed income. The definition of ecotourism in China is slightly different from the western world. A government-sponsored push for rural ecotourism usually involves benefits to local inhabitants. Typical ecotourism activities include theme parks with small zoos and restaurants; in 2009 these businesses generated more than $146 billion in revenues. This program will expose participants to the possibilities of an expanded ecotourism industry. Successful case studies include the Jade Valley development near Xing, where cultural heritage has been leveraged, as well as Lijiang, within the Baiyunshan National Park. You will gain insight into the experiences of U.S. and Chinese recreational entities and a comprehensive overview of related issues: development, political empowerment, ecological conservation, human rights, cultural heritage, energy/water conservation, and economic opportunity.
Coordinators: Click the names for more info
Mr. Winslow’s career in the entertainment business spans over 30 years. He began as a research associate with Economics Research Associate in Los Angeles specializing in theme parks, tourism and market research studies. He then moved to Washington D.C. to help establish East Coast operations, and then founded Florida and San Francisco offices. In 1975, Mr. Winslow started with Paramount as president, Future General Corp., its R&D subsidiary which ultimately became Showscan, a special format film company. He assisted in supervising the special effects for “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” and “Star Trek-The Movie”. He was also was president of Magicam—a high-tech video effects subsidiary now known as CSI, and founded Paramount Sound Systems, Inc., a professional sound contracting company with strong ties to the amusement industry. Mr. Winslow then spent one year with a financially troubled mini entertainment conglomerate involved in commercial productions, IMAX films, and audio and video post-production. He built business base while reducing debt, receivables and tax obligations. He also conducted feasibility studies for a wide range of projects and clients. Project categories included theme parks, museums, world’s fairs, retail centres, performing arts centres, arenas, amphitheatres, stadiums and resorts. Clients included Disney, Universal, Warner Bros. Six Flags, Knotts Berry Farm, HERCO, Smithsonian, Field Museum in Chicago, Music Centre of Los Angeles, Orange County Performing Arts Centre, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Mel Simon & Associates. In the early 90’s, Mr. Winslow continued consulting under a personal banner. Clients included Warner Bros., The Gordon Company, Mel Simon & Associates, Radio City Music Hall, Ideal Resort, etc. From 1993 to 1999, he was responsible for the development and operation of Warner Bros. theme parks outside the United States. Properties include Warner Bros. Movie World, Sea World, Wet’nWild, Sea World Nara Resort and Warner Roadshow Studios in Australia, and Warner Bros. Movie World and Movie World Studios in Germany.
Qingyun Ma is a designer and educator. Named one of the world’s most influential designers by BusinessWeek, Ma’s experience and involvement on an international level make him a leader in the design community with a great understanding of the contemporary issues in global urbanization.
Ma earned his bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering in Architecture from Tsinghua University in Beijing in 1988, and in 1991, he received his Master of Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania. Through his academic and professional experience, he developed a keen business sense centered on design intelligence, which culminated in his establishment of MADA s.p.a.m in 1996. MADA s.p.a.m. has designed and built modern buildings and urban communities, garnering worldwide recognition. Ma was the chief curator of the 2007 Shenzhen Hong Kong Biennale, and he is frequently invited as a speaker and juror, including for the prestigious Rome Prize and the 2010 Shanghai World Expo.
In 2007, Ma became the dean of the School of Architecture at the University of Southern California, where he has enhanced the program by developing the School’s ties with China and launching a number of global initiatives, particularly the USC American Academy in China, a base for visiting scholars to facilitate their research and foster academic exchange.
Speakers: Click the names for more info
His designs evoke a unique level of pan-geographic experience. At Walt Disney Imagineering, Paul traveled the world locating over 20 million rare species collected from 80 countries to authenticate his designs.
Comstock’s projects range from the world’s largest sustainable theme parks, sport stadiums, institutional, hospitality, and governmental projects to small scale detailed environments.
- Learning Objective 1: Participants will be able to better comprehend the local regulatory environments and the process of contemporary development in China.
- Learning Objective 2: Participants will be exposed to regional American case studies in recreational landscapes and their successful implementation.
- Learning Objective 3: Participants will be exposed to the possibilities of an expanded ecotourism industry with international case studies that include the Jade Valley development near Xing, as well as Lijiang, within the Baiyunshan National Park.
- Learning Objective 4: Participants will receive a comprehensive overview of development, political empowerment, ecological conservation, human rights, cultural heritage, energy/water conservation, and economic opportunity in China.