This work began in 2007, when the city was experiencing a frenzy of construction and urban development due to the upcoming 2008 Olympic Games. I had the opportunity to witness the transformation of this gigantic capital, as I returned in 2010 and many hutongs (traditional Chinese neighbourhoods) had been demolished to make way for large commercial avenues. By 2012 the city had grown even more, and franchises and department stores had significantly displaced the peaceful communal life that people once led. Although a few pockets still remain, they have been refurbished and adapted to the demands of a fierce drive toward progress. The price they pay is the very air they breathe, which can become suffocating… Yet despite everything, the people of Beijing remain special and calm; it is precisely this particular idiosyncrasy of theirs that I have tried to grasp — the daily rhythm of this immense metropolis.