manuel alvarez diestro photographs the densest metropolis in mainland china

in his latest photography project, manuel alvarez diestro transfers us to chongqing, the densest city in mainland china. the mega-city, flanked by mountains, and the yangtze & jailings rivers, accommodates its inhabitants in a crowded setting of vertical structures. intrigued by the unique environment, the artist captures the daily routine and transportation of the citizens within the concrete & glass jungle.

all images by manuel alvarez diestro

in chongqing, inhabitants move from place to place by using a complex infrastructure system, that features mega bridges, ramps, and cable cars. manuel alvarez diestro was particularly interested in capturing those commuters, to portray their small scale in comparison to the vast megalopolis. the pictures depict how everyone can seem small and undermined in front of the polyhedric urban landscape. 

alvarez diestro had already photographed the chongqing metropolis a decade ago, when it was considered a frontier city in the process of being built. and although nowadays it seems to lack some of its original ‘roughness’, it still possesses a visual edge that keeps its character unique.

project info:

photographer: manuel alvarez diestro

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: myrto katsikopoulou | designboom