After the CCTV Tower and the Bird's Nest Stadium, Beijing's Galaxy Soho trumpeted itself as the capital's next modern architectural landmark when it opened in 2012. Zaha Hadid's creation looks astonishing in photographs, the retail and office complex writhing futuristically like a Star Wars city (never mind that the adjoining hutong housing was bulldozed for its development). But up close you'll see empty commercial units and poorly maintained public areas, and wonder where it all went wrong.
Perhaps due to its isolated perch along the East 2nd Ring Rd, or more likely the shortsighted commercial model employed by developer SOHO China, the spaceship that is Galaxy Soho has singularly failed to take off.
