Intellectual Property: the SOHO Empire strikes back

Chinese netizens recently ignited almost instantly for a controversy among professional architects, relayed hourly on the web : the real estate group Soho China accuses Meiquan real estate group of plagiarizing the Wangjing Soho project in Chongqing, at first designed by the Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid in Beijing.

On May 11, 2012, Soho China sends a legal letter to Meiquan group requiring apologies. On May 14, 2012, Meiquan holds a press conference denying the charges. A media show orchestrated by Meiquan? Still, the issue of intellectual property does not spare designers in China, where the practice of the « Shanzhai » (term to designate copy, parody, counterfeit of goods of all kinds) is widespread at every design and manufacture levels.

For more details see: Pan Shiyi’s Blog