While the Sichuan earthquake of May 2008 killed more than 80,000 people and left more than 4.8 million homeless, it created the chance to rethink development in some parts of the devastated province. For example, in the small town of Longchi, where almost 2,000 local residents were left homeless, plans for a new highway linking the mountain town to Chengdu opened the opportunity to tap into the growing tourism market.
Instead of rebuilding Longchi as just a home for displaced residents, planners envisioned the town as a place where tourism could provide jobs and new public amenities for local residents. This year’s awards jury praised the project, saying, “This plan provides an ecologically and economically sustainable strategy for developing a vibrant small town in a beautiful mountain valley.”
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