New world city

That symbol being painted on a wall in Tiananmen Square in Beijing means "progress through construction" – apt for a city that is marking its emergence as the centre of the Asia Pacific region by creating some of the early wonders of the 21st century. The Olympic stadium is an obvious symbol for the synthesis of tradition and change, and the National Theatre is a reminder that China can be an agonisingly difficult place to do business. But the most dramatic monument of all is surely Rem Koolhaas' jaw-dropping headquarters for Chinese State Television. British professionals are playing vital roles in many of these projects, and on page 53 we look at some of the schemes undertaken by Arup. If all this whets your appetite, then on page 55 Martin Iles explains how to land a contract. But first, our Beijing correspondent reviews what's going up and what's coming down in China's first city …