China is not a country known for doing things in small strides, and in that ambitious spirit their Pearl River Delta Megacity project will combine nine of their largest cities into one super metropolis.
Plans for the huge undertaking involve the construction of over a 150 large infrastructure initiatives and the construction of over 3,100 miles of rail lines. This, in combination with a high-speed rail line, is part of an effort to reduce travel time between the various urban centers to an hour or less. The Pearl River Delta Megacity initiative is expected to have costs that start at over 300 billion dollars, though when all is said and done the actual number will easily be far higher.
Colossal Chinese Cities
China's Pearl River Delta Megacity Will Be the Size of Switzerland
Trend Themes
1. Megacity Synergies - Identifying opportunities to leverage economic, social, and environmental syngergies across cities in the megacity implies the need for disruptive innovation.
2. Hyperconnected Infrastructures - Exploring potential for novel and innovative systems that enable and manage the extensive transport and interconnectivity proposed for the Pearl River Delta Megacity.
3. Sustainable Urban Design - Embedding sustainability principles and efficiency into the urban planning and design approach for the Pearl River Delta Megacity project offers disruptive innovation prospects.
Industry Implications
1. Transportation - The proposed 3,100 miles of rail lines and a high-speed rail line triggers disruptive innovation possibilities for integration of transportation technology.
2. Construction - The building and infrastructure construction operations required to create the Pearl River Delta Megacity create possibilities for disruptive innovation approaches that leverage digitalization in construction.
3. Smart City Technologies - The expected costs and ambitious scope of the Pearl River Delta Megacity project suggest adoption of emerging technologies required to build energy-efficient, safe, and thriving digitally-enabled communities.