MIAMI BEACH, FL (NOVEMBER 21, 2006)-Addressing the continually changing face of Shanghai and the idea of “endless originality,” a visual presentation by Xing Tong He will kick off a series of cultural and educational exchange activities between Shanghai and Greater Miami. Xing Tong He is the chief architect of Shanghai Xian Dai Architecture Design Group, one of the largest architectural firms in the world and responsible for more than 70 percent of new development in Shanghai. Like Greater Miami, Shanghai is a significant urban center undergoing a building boom. This event, set to take place on December 3, 2006, at 2pm at the Lincoln Theatre, 555 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, is free and open to the public. The event is co-presented with the Urban Arts Committee of Miami Beach, Greater Miami Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, Miami Design Preservation League, AIA-Miami, and Florida International University’s College of Architecture + The Arts.

With the unveiling of the Shanghai museum in 1996, Xing Tong He paved the way for the futuristic city of Shanghai, which, in less than ten years, has seen the design of endless high-rise towers, the construction of high-speed trains, and modern highways. The architectural design group of Shanghai Xian Dai continues to improve the city’s most distressed areas, evidenced through the new skyscrapers and television towers that have replaced deteriorating factories.

Xing has also focused on strategically placing the city to attract foreign investment and improve local development. “Shanghai is China’s main point of connection with the rest of the world,” he notes, “especially [for] international companies investing here.” This increase in investment has led to the city’s development of its infrastructure, demonstrated through the creation of its new and improved magnetic-levitation train, set to carry passengers to and from the city’s airport.

Xing also faces the momentous task of preparing the city for the 2010 Shanghai Expo. The expo will highlight the city’s many problems, including overpopulation and traffic congestion, resulting from a population density of 40,000 residents per square kilometer. Xing seeks to improve the city’s urban problems without compromising the city’s historic neighborhoods as it positions itself for the future.

In addition to this lecture, Xing Tong He will be introduced to the Miami Beach Art Deco District and take part in discussions with the Miami Design Preservation League and local preservationists about safeguarding the architectural heritage of both cities in the face of continuing development. Miami Beach provides a model for the benefits of urban preservation and revitalization activities. A professor at Tongji University in Shanghai and educator of future Chinese architects, Xing will also visit Florida International University’s College of Architecture + The Arts and meet with faculty and students to explore future educational exchange projects. Local architects and members of the Miami Chapter of AIA will host Xing in a discussion about China’s sustainability efforts amidst the framework of its new development. Other meetings with Miami architects and the Downtown Development Association are included in Xing’s busy four-day itinerary.

The lecture is generously sponsored by HSBC Private Bank, with additional support provided by the Greater Miami Convention and Visitor’s Bureau.

About The Wolfsonian–Florida International University
The Wolfsonian–FIU is a museum and research center that uses objects to illustrate the persuasive power of art and design to explore what it means to be modern, and to tell the story of social, political, and technological changes that have transformed the world. The approximately 120,000 artifacts that comprise The Wolfsonian collection range from fine art, graphic design, and political propaganda to furniture, rare books, and ephemeral materials such as postcards and travel brochures. Since opening to the public just ten years ago, The Wolfsonian has developed and disseminated critically acclaimed exhibitions, publications, and educational programs that highlight the impact of design in shaping the modern world. Its vast patrimony of primary source materials provides unparalleled opportunities for scholarship and appreciation, making it a unique resource for local, national, and international audiences.

The Wolfsonian is located at 1001 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach, Fla. Admission is $7 adults; $5 seniors, students, and children six-12; free for Wolfsonian members, State University System of Florida staff and students with ID, children under six, and Miami Beach residents with ID. The museum is open Monday, Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday from noon-6pm; Thursday and Friday from noon-9pm; and is closed on Wednesday. Contact us at 305.531.1001 or visit us online at www.wolfsonian.org.

The Wolfsonian receives ongoing support from the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, the Florida Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts; Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners; City of Miami Beach, Cultural Affairs Program, Cultural Arts Council; Crispin Porter + Bogusky; Continental Airlines, the preferred airline of The Wolfsonian; the Arthur F. and Alice E. Adams Foundation; and Karla Conceptual Event Experiences.

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