Tangjialing is a satellite village about 20 km north of Beijing’s Tiananmen Square. It is mainly inhabited by migrant workers and postgraduate intellectuals who, due to the tough job market in Beijing, are often forced to accept low-paying jobs unrelated to their degree. Encircling the village is China's expanding Silicon Valley, where large corporations such as Baidu and Lenovo have offices. Life in this "intellectual slum" is being cut short, as Tangjialing is being demolished and its inhabitants forced out to make way for China's infamous mega-block style housing designed to entice white-collar workers to move into the area and further feed the growth of Silicon Valley. Tangjialing represents the way China is urbanizing – rapidly, and without respite. The global importance of China's urbanization is undeniable, and this project seeks to record it as it happens. Focusing on Tangjialing, the result will be a visual document that deepens our understanding of the impact of China's transformation on its people.
