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Lunar Economic Zone

Zhan Wang

A techotopian future in Shenzen.


"Lunar Economic Zone" is a story about a technotopian future. What would Shenzhen be like in 2028 as the major harbor to receive minerals that China mines on the moon and then ships all over the world? This is what this short film is all about.

The video was produced by Zhan Wang as an assignment as a student at the Architectural Association in 2014. The brief was to reflect about the transportation of goods and resources around the world. The author started by exploring the current condition and the fact that China is one of the largest producers in the world for rare earth minerals to be mostly used for producing electronics. This status influences the country's economy and its international strength.

The economical power had to be shown, hence the short film features a parade celebrating the first consignment of lunar minerals touching down on earth in the Lunar Economic Zone. The media are going to show this event all around the world to prove the emerging richness in resource and the technological superpower.

A female voiceover comments the event. The imaginary cityscape is conceived as an accumulation of buildings, infrastructures, great and small objects moving to let the production process proceed. The most advanced technology, as the great elevator or the mega ships, coexist with the old ancient traditions and its symbols introduced in the scene too. Between documentary and fiction, between propaganda and news, the Lunar Economic Zone - as the author says - plays with our fears for a localized resource economy.

Credits

Mentioned project: Lunar Economic Zone (2014)
Project location: Shenzen, China
Narration: Sumedha Pathak
Compositing: Alexey Marfin

United Kingdom 2014
Duration: 4'23''