Future Cities

In this third episode of our Future Cities strand, we explore how attitudes in Shenzhen about patents and intellectual property differ to those in the West. In particular, we look at how the evolution of “shanzhai” - or copycat manufacturing - has created an ecosystem that could transform traditional models of business, distribution and innovation. Although, technically, any knock-off goods can be called shanzhai, the word's meaning has recently shifted to refer to electronic goods, and episode three delves behind the scenes of this business culture.

In the final episode of our Future Cities strand, we examine Shenzhen’s so-called "Shanzhai" (imitation) supply chain as authoritarian governmental control and hyper-accelerated gentrification are rapidly changing the face of the city.