# Shanghai Waterfront's Makeover



## hkskyline

*Historic Shanghai waterfront gets $1 bln makeover *























































SHANGHAI, Feb 29 (Reuters) - Shanghai's historic waterfront, once the Wall Street of Asia, is getting a 7 billion yuan ($985 million) makeover to divert automobile traffic underground and make itself more appealing for the city's 2010 World Expo. 

The plan includes an underground expressway, two tunnels across the Huangpu River to Shanghai's glitzy financial district, a facelift for the city's oldest steel bridge and dismantling an eyesore freeway ramp that cuts the waterfront, or Bund, in two, city officials said on Friday. 

"We want to return the view to the people," said Qin Kangde, director of the administrative office for Shanghai's Bund transport redevelopment project. "It has been reserved for the motorists." 

On Saturday, the city will shut the waterfront's century-old Waibaidu Bridge and begin dismantling it for transport by barge to dry docks for refurbishing. 

The dual-span truss bridge, which links the Bund to the Hangkou District, site of Shanghai's Jewish ghetto during World War Two, is due to be back in place above the Suzhou Creek, a tributary of the Huangpu, in a year. 

Qin said the 11-lane highway that runs in front of the Bund's stately colonial structures would be replaced with a four to six lane road limited to local traffic, while a new underground expressway would handle through-going vehicles. 

The three-year-plus project, most parts of which are already under way, should be complete in March or April of 2010, he said. 

Shanghai will host the World Expo from May to October 2010 and expects 70 million visitors to the event. While the Bund, whose elegant bars and restaurants are a big draw for tourists as well as well-heeled Shanghainese, remains a prominent Shanghai landmark, it increasingly finds itself in the shadow of the flashy, futuristic skyline of the Lujiazui financial district across the river. 

The project, moreover, is not just about beautifying the Bund, which is also one of the metropolis' main north-south transport corridors. 

Qin stressed that improved transport was the other key goal. 

The project's two tunnels are expected to ease chronic congestion in the existing underground link that runs under the Bund to the financial district. ($1=7.106 Yuan)


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## goschio

Fantastic news. The traffic is really and eyesore.


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## Manila-X

I like the idea of having a better waterfront within The Bund. It will enhance the place place make it more touristy


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## hkskyline

The improvements are more for traffic rather than tourists, since the wide waterfront promenade will not change. Although visually it should look a lot better with less cars.


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## Manila-X

Before the late 90s, that area had a bike traffic. Now its cars


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## hkskyline

WANCH said:


> Before the late 90s, that area had a bike traffic. Now its cars


Shanghai in general has seen a major decrease in bike traffic as people got wealthier and can buy cars. Then there were transit improvements.


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## melbguy

I don't think the traffic looks too bad in terms of appearance. I admit they can do something better with the space the roads are taking, but strange enough the car lights look great at night time along the Bund.


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## Manila-X

hkskyline said:


> Shanghai in general has seen a major decrease in bike traffic as people got wealthier and can buy cars. Then there were transit improvements.


Yes public transit has improved especially the buses and metro.

But bicycles are still common in Shanghai streets just like the photo I took when I was there last Dec


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## goschio

They should build more bike ways in the city.


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## hkskyline

WANCH said:


> Yes public transit has improved especially the buses and metro.
> 
> But bicycles are still common in Shanghai streets just like the photo I took when I was there last Dec


I see ... 1 bike on a lone street compared to a sea of cars on Shanghai's highways :











*Plans to improve lanes for cyclists *
20 March 2007
Shanghai Daily

Shanghai is making efforts to prove that the title of "kingdom of bicycles" still fits the world's most populous country, even in the car age. 

The city is renovating a 300-kilometer network of "cycling arteries," covering at least 60 percent of local roads open to cyclists, and plans to separate bicycles from motorbikes and scooters in some busy areas. 

The government also plans to follow what London does: Using colorful road material to pave cycling lines and make them more noticeable. 

The efforts were inspired by a recent government-based survey showing nearly 30 percent of locals use bikes, motorbike or scooters as their regular transport. 

However, cyclists in Shanghai face "multiple challenges" - fewer and narrow lanes, car exhaust fumes, sharing roads with motorbikes and rampant bike thieves. 

There are no official statistics for the city's total number of cyclists because the Chinese government puts cyclists, scooters and motorbikes in the same category. 

"We believe bicycles are still very important in locals' lives," Yuan Wenping, a chief engineer of Shanghai Engineering Administrative Bureau, said yesterday. 

Asked by the city leaders to draw up a new cycling plan, Yuan and his colleagues have worked out a "no-block" cycling network through 2020. 

The network will incorporate 25 "cycling arteries" - 13 south-north and 12 west-east - within the Outer Ring Road, which encloses the 600-square-kilometer downtown area. 

Each of the arteries - either one-way or two-way cycling lanes alongside vehicle lanes - cross up to 10 roads. Most roads are close to the city's Inner Ring Road, Yan'an Road and South-North Elevated Road. 

Among them are Shimen Road, Hengfeng Road, Xinzha Road, Ruijin Road, Kaixuan Road, Daduhe Road, Xietu Road, Maoming Road and Zhongtan Road. 

Yuan said: "The network will enable cyclists to reach most downtown spots on pedals." 

Yuan added that roads along the banks of Suzhou Creek are also likely to become "cycling-friendly" passages. 

Currently, most cycling arteries feature lanes that are not linked or too narrow, causing difficulty for long-distance cyclists. 

This year, the government plans to build roads around Huating Hotel to connect Lingling Road and Kaixuan Road, both of which have unrelated cycling lanes. 

The ideas of using colorful road paving and separating bicycles from motorbikes are still being studied. 

About two years ago, a 1.8-kilometer cycling lane between Tongji and Fudan universities was painted dark green in a trial. 

*Over the past decade, cycling has been banned on more than 70 kilometers of downtown main roads, such as Huaihai Road, Yan'an Road, Zhongshan Road E1, Nanjing Road and parts of Siping Road. 

The former cycling lanes were used to carry the rapid increase of vehicles, which include both private and government-funded cars. *


*Wheels of progress call for two wheels, not four *
25 January 2008
Shanghai Daily

Luddite is a term used to describe someone who opposes technology or technological change. 

In this era of techno-wizardry, it's an oft-bandied-about term and generally derogatory. 

Although I don't consider myself a luddite, certain developments in China in the name of so-called progress grieve me greatly. I may have mentioned it before. 

On a recent National Geographic documentary about cars in China, "Driving Dreams," an automotive analyst from Detroit named Michael Dunne described his first impressions of the People's Republic. 

The morning after arriving in Beijing in 1986, he said: "I woke up, opened the drapes, and there wasn't a car in sight, not a truck in sight. There was just a silent parade of thousands of little bicycles." 

Dunne's use of the word "little" is telling. In actual fact the traditional Chinese bikes are pretty big but it's the automotive industry that butters Dunne's bread so he likes to think of bicycles as "little." 

Dunne is president of Automotive Resources Asia. 

His company provides help to auto companies seeking to take maximum advantage of the Chinese market. 

With the assistance of Dunne and people like him, auto makers have successfully got it into many Chinese heads that riding their "little" bicycles is cute but, really, adults drive cars. 

If he were to return to his Beijing hotel room and look out of that window now he'd probably find gridlocked traffic belching out planet-killing pollution. 

The silent parades of those bikes in Beijing, Shanghai and many other Chinese cities are dwindling. Nice work, boys! 

There's a word for people like Dunne and it isn't luddite. 

*Even just 10 years ago the streets of Shanghai were filled with rivers of bicycles, the people moving cheaply, reliably, safely and healthily but importantly, moving. 

Now the bikes have been replaced by a logjam of cars, often with one occupant, the streets are far less safe, the people less healthy and the city more polluted. *

It is to be assumed that many of the drivers are also really bad-tempered because they've just spent an hour in traffic listening to the banalities of Love Radio as they inch forward. 

There will be many a dear reader out there who has traveled by car or taxi between downtown and Hongqiao on a weekday evening. 

The emotions experienced include frustration, powerlessness, despondency and gloom. 

The lessons of Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington, DC, the US' three most gridlocked cities, are not being learned. 

Yet the auto industry ploughs on regardless with its messages of the freedom and the quality of life afforded by a car. 

Adverts depict happy young couples zipping round town or an alpha male haring along a mountain pass, images sharply at odds with the reality of rarely getting out of third gear. 

Meantime, many city authorities buy into it and continue with their new roads, new road surfaces, flyovers and ring roads. 

Only the merest crumbs are ever thrown down to the cyclists. 

In Shanghai and Beijing there are still at least five cyclists to every motorist. 

One must presume that those many millions of cyclists must be wondering why so much money is spent on so few and why things are getting more difficult for them. 

Why is so much of this city now a no-go for cyclists? 

Why are the cycle lanes so poorly maintained and enforced? 

Why are those few streets given over entirely to cyclists in such poor repair? 

And can't capital punishment be applied to the bicycle thieves? 

Perhaps the cyclists are feeling despondent and gloomy, or perhaps they're feeling very, very angry and let down. 

Some of the blame must be apportioned to those "little" bicycle companies, which are actually absolutely gargantuan. 

For a nation of cyclists, the actual bicycles ridden are of a shocking quality. 

They are big, heavy, poorly built and many rust to pieces at the first whiff of rain. Or they are tinny rubbish. 

Those of us of a conspiratorial bent are want to remember the US auto companies buying up and sabotaging of bus companies in the 1950s. 

Despite the myriad bike-fix-it guys perched on every other street corner, Chinese bikes are in unbelievably bad condition. 

To coin a phrase, one imagines that Mr Dunne frequently employs, it's time for the bicycle companies to "step up to the plate." 

Where are the advert campaigns and perhaps even the public information campaigns, "love your bike"? 

Campaigns that get it into people's heads that there's nothing big or clever about cars and bikes are not just for kids. 

They are a perfectly good way of getting around the city, for everyone, and, when combined with a comprehensive metro system, bicycles are the best hope for the 21st century urban environment.


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## leo_sh

It's Western hippies' pipe dream that "[e]ven just 10 years ago the streets of Shanghai were filled with rivers of bicycles, the people moving cheaply, reliably, safely and healthily but importantly, moving".

Shanghai is a big city. To get across half a city on a bike is not the desire of a lot of people here, especially those who have been over their prime and school children!

A lot of city arteries were built in the colonial age and have only two or four lanes. Due to the heritage conservation concern they will never be widened. That's why a lot of streets now are banned bikes. New settlements and developments like Pudong have excellent bike lanes!


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## drunkenmunkey888

Frankly, I don't think its a good sign to see so many cars on the streets. Shanghai is way to crowded for that. A place like Shanghai cannot afford to become a car-dependent city because of its insane density, 100,000 people per square mile in Huangpu according to wikipedia. The other urban areas aren't any less crowded. Bikes were good when most people didn't need to commute ten miles across the city. But now, the city is expanding and commuting distances are getting longer and longer. Bikes are no longer efficient anymore either.

Shanghai will undoubtedly become one of those cities that rely heavily on rail in the next few decades, possibly to the point where delays or malfunctions in its subway system can grind the city to a complete standstill. 

Btw, why are Shanghai's bikes of such shitty quality? You'd think people by now are wealthy enough to at least get nicer bikes you see in developed countries. But they're still using the same kind of plain, dirty, communist-era looking bikes that swarmed the streets back in the 80's.


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## leo_sh

If you know the place or are equipped with GPS, driving is actually a secret tip in Shanghai. the road condition is excellent, traffic flow, even during the peak, is tolerable, signs and instructions are clear and adequate, parking lots are abundant. Of course, the parking fees are appalling.

Regarding the bike quaity, if you go to Amsterdam, you'll see the Dutch also ride plain, dirty, communist-like, bikes.


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## binhai

drunkenmunkey888 said:


> Btw, why are Shanghai's bikes of such shitty quality? You'd think people by now are wealthy enough to at least get nicer bikes you see in developed countries. But they're still using the same kind of plain, dirty, communist-era looking bikes that swarmed the streets back in the 80's.


Because expensive bikes get stolen. Thiefs always look for flashy bikes to steal, and if you don't flaunt your wealth by having a snazzy bike, your old bike probably won't get stolen. Plus they perform the same anyways on flat terrain...


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## staff

Bikes in Copenhagen (one of the most bike-dense cities in the world) has pretty shitty bicycles as well. They are very prone to get stolen in this kind of cities, so its really not a good idea to get a flashy bike.

Im really looking forward to the Bund makeover though. The current road feels like a highway right now.


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## hoosier

Shanghai should encourage bicycle amd mass transit use because the Earth cannot handle all of China's major cities being as auto-centric as their American peers. 

Being able to move around on bike or via subway or bus is the result of excellent urban design- not some "hippie" pipedream. **** you to whomever said that.


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## drunkenmunkey888

^^

I totally agree. Most of Eastern and Central China will not become car-dependent because of the exorbitant taxes that are imposed on cars and the massive subway construction that is taking place in most of the large cities. In fact, I can see China becoming one of the most subway-dependent countries in the world. 

On the other hand, it would be okay for places like Inner Mongolia, Qinghai, Ningxia, Gansu, or Xinjiang becoming car-dependent, and cities like Xining or Hohhot having massive 12 lane freeways going in and out of those cities. They have low population density, thereby making a car-culture much more feasible than Eastern China

By the way, you guys are right, I checked out some of the bikes in Europe and they are pretty shitty. I guess nice bikes are limited to US, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia?


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## goschio

drunkenmunkey888 said:


> By the way, you guys are right, I checked out some of the bikes in Europe and they are pretty shitty. I guess nice bikes are limited to US, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia?


You find nice bikes in Europe too but not in the cities. Go to suburbia or to the countryside and people have nice mountainbikes etc. in their garage. But these bikes are mostly used for recreation.


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## gladisimo

I actually like the huge boulevard filled with cars, I think it's rather neat...


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## Manila-X

gladisimo said:


> I actually like the huge boulevard filled with cars, I think it's rather neat...


Not always. But the idea of putting cars underground and expanding the Bund's waterfront promenade would be really neat. 

Come to think of it, they should do that with HK's Central waterfront


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## big-dog

Shanghai's most famous "Curve" has been demolished as part of the makeover project.



>


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## hkskyline

Good. That curve was an eyesore, although it was quite impressive seeing Pudong as the car pulls up and then turn and you see the Bund.


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## Martin S

Whenever you post pictures of the Shanghai's bund, we on the Liverpool forum are duty bound to point out that the designer of the clock tower building was W. Aubrey Thomas who was also responsible for the Royal Liver Building, which is probably the most well known building in our city.



















Liverpool is now twinned with Shanghai and within a few years, our tallest building should be the Shanghai Tower, which is planned as a centre for Chinese business in the North West of England.


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## big-dog

^^ :applause:


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## ChinaboyUSA

I am glad to see the makeover is on the way, cool!


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## hoosier

Shanghai should get rid of a lot of its urban freeways or at least put them underground. Getting rid of the Embracadero Freeway in San Francisco and the elevated West Side Highway in New York really opened up the waterfronts.

Ideally the Bund would be a gigantic riverside park with bike and tram lanes- NO CARS AT ALL.:cheers:


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## drunkenmunkey888

hoosier said:


> Shanghai should get rid of a lot of its urban freeways or at least put them underground. Getting rid of the Embracadero Freeway in San Francisco and the elevated West Side Highway in New York really opened up the waterfronts.
> 
> Ideally the Bund would be a gigantic riverside park with bike and tram lanes- NO CARS AT ALL.:cheers:


Um... the West Side Highway is still elevated. I was just on it today. But yeah I agree with the tram part. They should really re-open some Bund tram lines that connect to the metro because there are no plans to build a Bund metro station. Trams along the Bund that have free transfers to subway stations would be a great idea! 

Speaking of the Bund, I really hope they get rid of that gay sightseeing tunnel. Its soooo cheesy its ridiculous.


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## big-dog

drunkenmunkey888 said:


> Um... the West Side Highway is still elevated. I was just on it today. But yeah I agree with the tram part. They should really re-open some Bund tram lines that connect to the metro because there are no plans to build a Bund metro station. Trams along the Bund that have free transfers to subway stations would be a great idea!
> 
> Speaking of the Bund, I really hope they get rid of that gay sightseeing tunnel. Its soooo cheesy its ridiculous.


Can't agree more. The sight-seeing tunnel should be renovated and made a free passway to cross the river. They can invite some shops and collect the rental to cover the cost.

Tram is also a great idea. Shanghai should learn from Beijing for the bund renovation.

Beijing's Qianmen pedestrian street renovation
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=467486&page=2



>


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## Maelstrom

I love the Shanghai tunnel though. It's a lesson in horrendous tack.


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## drunkenmunkey888

big-dog said:


> Can't agree more. The sight-seeing tunnel should be renovated and made a free passway to cross the river. They can invite some shops and collect the rental to cover the cost.
> 
> Tram is also a great idea. Shanghai should learn from Beijing for the bund renovation.


I never thought about changing the sightseeing tunnel like that but that would be great idea. In fact, it would be much more profitable if they expand it and line the place up with shops. Come to think of it, they can get really creative with it too.

As far as learning from the Beijing renovation, I don't think they should make it pedestrian though. I've never been a big fan of pedestrian streets because the lack of cars makes it feel less vibrant and less European (something that the Bund cannot afford to compromise). As for the tram, ideally they should use the same double-deckered ones as Hong Kong or a modern light-rail so that it would be a legitimate mode of public transportation instead of a toy train like the Nanjing Road shuttle


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## Manila-X

I actually find it creative with the idea of a light show tunnel that travels under the Huangpu River.


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## hkskyline

We should build on the strengths that we have. If people go to the Bund because of the view, why send them underground through a light tunnel?

Having been to Shanghai several times, I've never thought of going through that sightseeing tunnel. It's not cheap to visit either. However, I do wish there was an easier way to cross the river.


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## gladisimo

WANCH said:


> Not always. But the idea of putting cars underground and expanding the Bund's waterfront promenade would be really neat.
> 
> Come to think of it, they should do that with HK's Central waterfront


A carless (is it? I didn't read the article) waterfront would be very nice and neat (as in tidy), but having cars there, especially at night, gives it a bit more life, I think, maybe because cars are just much bigger than people, lol


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## hkskyline

gladisimo said:


> A carless (is it? I didn't read the article) waterfront would be very nice and neat (as in tidy), but having cars there, especially at night, gives it a bit more life, I think, maybe because cars are just much bigger than people, lol


Cars are not a problem since they don't affect the huge waterfront promenade. However, crossing that street is a problem as it disconnects the waterfront from the actual buildings along the Bund and the Nanjing Road pedestrian street a bit further beyond.


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## z0rg

Posted by daxu


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## pflo777

when was this bridge built? and how is traffic handled now, after cars cannot take that bridge any more?


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## big-dog

^^ it was build in 1990s and cars will go underground to get to the bund.


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## LMCA1990

Beautiful! :cheers:


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## Manila-X

gladisimo said:


> A carless (is it? I didn't read the article) waterfront would be very nice and neat (as in tidy), but having cars there, especially at night, gives it a bit more life, I think, maybe because cars are just much bigger than people, lol


I look at it different, cars there give it less life kinda like most US cities especially in Southern California.

A bit off topic but again with what is going on in The Bund, they should do that with Central's waterfront. How about putting Connaught Road underground?


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## hkskyline

WANCH said:


> I look at it different, cars there give it less life kinda like most US cities especially in Southern California.
> 
> A bit off topic but again with what is going on in The Bund, they should do that with Central's waterfront. How about putting Connaught Road underground?


For those who have been following local news in Hong Kong lately (ie. past few years), there is a huge underpass project being constructed along with the reclamation just off the north shores of Hong Kong Island from Central to Wan Chai. An underground highway will run below a new waterfront park above.


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## Chrissib

Epi said:


> I thought 'more European' would mean LESS cars. There are PLENTY of walking streets in the major cities of Europe.
> 
> As for shops in the tunnel, would be cool. If done right it would be a modern day Rialto Bridge (Venice).


Yes, in the inner cities. But Shanghai's inner city is continously being demolished! Soon there will be no inner city anymore.


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## YelloPerilo

Have you ever been to Shanghai?


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## staff

Chrissib said:


> But Shanghai's inner city is continously being demolished! Soon there will be no inner city anymore.


Are you on drugs?


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## Skybean

Chrissib said:


> Yes, in the inner cities. But Shanghai's inner city is continously being demolished! Soon there will be no inner city anymore.



:rofl:


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## conc.man

Good move to a pedestrian oriented Bund. I'd say it's an obvious and positive change of the urban planning of Shanghai. Every city will be more lovely after its citizens begin to hate wide road and elevated expressway. 

BTW, it's acually a small part of the underground traffic system proposal.


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## staff

^^
Wow, that's what I call a "big dig".


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## oliver999

guys, i will miss that famous curve. so sad.i love this curve.


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## staff

^^
Me too actually - or, well, I love riding a car coming from Yan'an gao jia and descending down to the Bund on that curve, with the Lujiazui skyline right in your face.


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## ChinaboyUSA

The makeover is such a cutie.


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## big-dog

*4.6*

Waibaidu Bridge removed and sent to maintenance


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## Jim856796

big-dog said:


>


The demolition of that curve leaves the elevated expressway with an open end which is unconnected to anything else. I don't know if we can connect the expressway to the new Bund road.


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## drunkenmunkey888

Jim856796 said:


> The demolition of that curve leaves the elevated expressway with an open end which is unconnected to anything else. I don't know if we can connect the expressway to the new Bund road.


Isn't the plan to build an underground expressway where the old curve was that extends the length of the Bund and connects to another underground highway?


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## conc.man

drunkenmunkey888 said:


> Isn't the plan to build an underground expressway where the old curve was that extends the length of the Bund and connects to another underground highway?


Exactly.


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## lindow

Does the development of the waterfront block the wind from the sea? 

It causes the heat island.


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## Bandit

So are there any artist's renders of what this is going to look like?

I think they should completely get rid of any automobile lanes along the bund. It's probably still going to be jammed with traffic with the fewer lanes the intial post says they have planned. Still going to look ugly with cars there.


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## plumflower

I AM LIVING SHANGHAI, love shanghai so much !


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## Slartibartfas

Epi said:


> I thought 'more European' would mean LESS cars. There are PLENTY of walking streets in the major cities of Europe.
> 
> As for shops in the tunnel, would be cool. If done right it would be a modern day Rialto Bridge (Venice).


Thats exactly my opinion as well, and I am European. 
6 lane highways or something similar next to the core parts of a city are not exactly what gives a district a European "feel". 

If Shanghai should turn the Bund into an area where pedestrians are the priority with either an human scale road (lets say at worst 2 lanes per direction with regular crossing opportunities for pedestrians) or as purely pedestrian zone, it will make it look more European rather than less.


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## the spliff fairy

the pedestrianisation can either have the Chinese effect (Nanjing Road/ Old City crowds), or the more European effect (Xintiandi cafes):

*
Nanjing Road, Shanghai*























































































Shanghai Old Town:



































no car zone










Xintiandi:



























































^vast areas of Shanghai are slated for the 'Xintiandi treatment', Hongkou's Jewish quarter and large areas of the French Concession is currently going that way too.


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## oliver999

楼上，great pics!!!!!!!!!


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## Jim856796

Anyone know about the 15-story 235-room Peninsula Hotel near the north side of the Bund that is scheduled for completion in 2009?


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## 187cc

Awesome!!! Can't wait to visit SH again once the re-development is finished.


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## Jim856796

I looked at a photo of Shanghai depicting the Bund at the Shanghai Projects and Construction thread at the International forums and saw that the new tunnel under Zhongshan Road is apparently a cut-and-cover tunnel.


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## Severiano

I think its ok to plant trees south of the bund, as long as they arent huge shade trees. If they are smaller it will make it look nice. 

Does anybody know what they are building south of the Bund, by Yu gardens, is it some sort of tourist doc area?


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## big-dog

*Wusong Road floodgate bridge demolished (Suzhou river)*

River view is clear and under-river tunnel is open next year.




























(sina.com)


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## staff

Finally. Suzhou Creek and surroundings is going to look so amazing in 5-10 years.


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## desertpunk

Shanghai just gets better and better!


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## Riker

i wish i would have seen this thread before this past summer. but with that being said i would like to visit again, no sooner than 10 years though.


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## Jim856796

The 1991-built concrete bridge has been torn down and construction of the tunnel should be going full swing. And the Peninsula Shanghai Hotel has finished construction and has opened its doors last month.


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## Kenwen

any update?


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## Northern Lotus

Any new pictures on the Bund improvements?


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## 2009shanghai




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## Scion

October 2009...


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## Scion

December 2009


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## MARTYR

^^ impressive improvement guyz ...looks like the project is progressing very well !!


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## sandra1125

Happy to see pic of a modern city in my country here.
Welcome to Shanghai 2010!


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## Jim856796

Thw Waibaidu Bridge has undergone six significant repairs and renovations in its lifetime. in 1947, 1957, the early 1960s, 1991, 1999, and 2008. The bridge was originally designed to last for 50 years (1907-1957), but somehow the renovations managed to extend its lifespan. The bridge may possibly last another 50 years. There may come a day that the bridge may need to be replaced outright by a similar-looking bridge, but since it's a historical monument, we can le it last until the year 2057.


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## staff

^^
Thanks for the info.


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## hkskyline




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## Yuri S Andrade

^^
I love the Bund! There are great shots of that area in the movie _Empire of the Sun_. Let me get that straight: all this highway by the river will be gone? 

By the way, what's that tower (last photo)?


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## NCT

It'll just be a 2x2 road catering for public transport and local traffic, instead of the 2x5all-emcompassing 'motorway' that was there before.


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## LOVECITY

thankkkkkkss secret biil gates book mollinaire www.moneymoney2.tk www.easymoneynow.tk


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## the spliff fairy

Xian also does new builds in traditional style, as its the traditional capital:


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## Slartibartfas

thats cool as long as it is done with a careful hand for proportions. I like it. 

Is that last picture also from a new neighborhood? If so its truly great.


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## the spliff fairy

yep, all new builds


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## NCT

http://bbs.52bus.com/viewthread.php?tid=200831&extra=page=1

Some interesting sentiments expressed here. Sorry it's in Chinese - apparently traffic has been really bad around the bund, with usage of the underground passageway lower than expected hence too much traffic fighting for space on the surface. Channellisation and traffic light phasing around Waibaidu Qiao (Bridge) have been weird as well. Hopefully these are just early day teething problems and things will improve.


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## Slartibartfas

^^ I don't quite get it? Are Chinese car drivers stupid (tunnel being half empty while surface roads being totally overloaded) or is there a reason why they refuse using the tunnels more? Does it only take more time for people figuring out the new balance?


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## staff

Slartibartfas said:


> Are Chinese car drivers stupid


Is this a serious question?


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## NCT

Slartibartfas said:


> ^^ I don't quite get it? Are Chinese car drivers stupid (tunnel being half empty while surface roads being totally overloaded) or is there a reason why they refuse using the tunnels more? Does it only take more time for people figuring out the new balance?


Earlier today my cousin who lives nearby told me the tunnel is pretty well used and said she wasn't aware of any congestion problems. I suppose there are good days and bad days. Provision for surface traffic to cross River Suzhou has been severely hindered though - there's only the 3-lane Waibaidu Bridge catering traffic to and from Daming/Changzhi Road AND Wusong Road.


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## null

> Are Chinese car drivers stupid.


Stupid? Uncivilized is a better term.


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## The Chemist

Panorama from the new Shiliupu Ferry Terminal - click on photo for larger version.


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## oliver999

chemist, i do like you original pics!!!


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## Slartibartfas

staff said:


> Is this a serious question?


Don't quote me out of context. The least you could do is to quote the whole question and not alter the meaning sharply by picking out just a short part of it.

Having that said, if "stupid" is considered too offensive also in the full context, let me replace it by "irrational". Irrational behaviour in traffic is not a completely unknown concept you know. 

My own guess, without knowing the city personally, is that these problems are if they exist only temporary until people get accustomed to the new system.


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## staff

I think the choice of wording was really weird. I wouldn't generalize (in this case we're talking about 1.3 billion+, more than 1/5 of the world, since you used "Chinese") about anyone being *stupid*. Inexperienced would be a more suitable wording. 

And yes, I think you're probably correct in your guess as to what the causes are.


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## Slartibartfas

staff said:


> I think the choice of wording was really weird. I wouldn't generalize (in this case we're talking about 1.3 billion+, more than 1/5 of the world, since you used "Chinese") about anyone being *stupid*. Inexperienced would be a more suitable wording.


I was not aware that people would feel insulted that easily. It was actually a rhetorical question if I had foreseen the reaction of some, I would have said it differently. I did not want to know if Chinese car drivers are stupid, but what the reasons for that supposed behaviour was.


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## staff

All cleared up then.


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## Scion

Further south on the bund


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## Atmosphere

Absolutly Fantastic! I was in Shanghai last year and the only thing I could see from the the Bund was that big blue construction wall -_- I really want to go back now to see the end result.


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## staff

Wow, those last shots are nothing short of amazing!


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## Chrissib

Jfun said:


>


Pretty much old people around, is this the average population of Shanghai? Too sad what the One-child-policy has damaged.


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## Atmosphere

Chrissib said:


> Pretty much old people around, is this the average population of Shanghai? Too sad what the One-child-policy has damaged.


I think that's a bit to fast to draw a conclusion, judging only from one photo? When I was in Shanghai I saw a lot of young people too.(there are more young people in China than ever before.) And besides if there was not a one-child policy there would be around 3 to 4 billion Chinese people by now. Combined with the economic growth I'm not sure if the earth could sustain that. Not yet and not so fast at least. ( I even think controlled birth rate is necessary everywhere in the future, but thats another discussion...) Besides that you can't really judge the results of one-child policy by looking at one picture from one city....


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## The Chemist

Atmosphere said:


> I think that's a bit to fast to draw a conclusion, judging only from one photo? When I was in Shanghai I saw a lot of young people too.(there are more young people in China than ever before.) And besides if there was not a one-child policy there would be around 3 to 4 billion Chinese people by now. Combined with the economic growth I'm not sure if the earth could sustain that. Not yet and not so fast at least. ( I even think controlled birth rate is necessary everywhere in the future, but thats another discussion...) Besides that you can't really judge the results of one-child policy by looking at one picture from one city....


Based on his comments elsewhere, the guy just hates China and is looking to support conclusions he's already drawn. Just ignore him. hno:


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## Chrissib

The Chemist said:


> Based on his comments elsewhere, the guy just hates China and is looking to support conclusions he's already drawn. Just ignore him. hno:


I don't hate China, I just hate certain actions by the government.


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## NCT

Chrissib said:


> Pretty much old people around, is this the average population of Shanghai? Too sad what the One-child-policy has damaged.


Oh come on of course at this type of opening events there will be a disproportionally large number of golden oldies around.

==========

On a separate note, along this one mile stretch of the renovated bund there is only ONE bus stop in either direction. You'd thought that now the road is on a more human scale it'd be a little _more_ bus friendly...


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## staff

Chrissib said:


> is this the average population of Shanghai?


I've seen some outrageous stuff coming from you on these forums but are you expecting to be taken serious with this shit? :lol: :lol:


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## Chrissib

staff said:


> I've seen some outrageous stuff coming from you on these forums but are you expecting to be taken serious with this shit? :lol: :lol:


Maybe, maybe not:lol: I just haven't seen an up-to-date age-pyramid of shanghai yet. :nuts:


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## Ewan117

wow, shanghai is really nice


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## the spliff fairy

Median age in China is 31.5 years despite the one child policy (read: two child policy in reality), 4 years younger than the US. Median age in Shanghai, despite increasing longevity and falling birthrates is still 33.9 years. For NYC compared its 35.9 and London 38.2.


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## aodili

April 5 by BenSHYen at Flickr

















April 5 by LX in SHA at Flickr


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## Chrissib

aodili said:


> April 5 by LX in SHA at Flickr


This looks very good, astounding.


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## Slartibartfas

Great pictures. It really looks like a human scale pedestrian friendly place now. From what it looks like it certainly adds to the quality of life in central Shanghai and is a big upgrade of the Bund.


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## conc.man

aodili said:


> April 5 by BenSHYen at Flickr


The whole South Bund area is a big underground project, 
it used to be like this










After the waterfront project




















Section











-1/2F and -1F plan










-2F plan


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## aodili

The new bund tunnel entrance (seen from the west; the bund is perpendicular to the driving direction)
April 5 by 7 Rooms B&B at Flickr


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## Scion

Now that this awesome waterfront project is completed, I think the next major beautification program for the city would be to do something about the overhead power lines in the older areas. Like put the cables underground or something.

Some looks messy, some ugly, and some outright freaky.


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## Celebriton

^^I agree!

Along with development progress, Shanghai image became more and more futuristic. I saw many photos in many angles, The Bund became "dwarven" and look "outdated". I like the futuristic Shanghai image.


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## Slartibartfas

What are there chances that this great area could get an uplift and become (at least partially) pedestrianized? (or if not pedestrianized at least improved, with broader attractive sidewalks and only limited traffic)


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## staff

^^
Parts of it are pedestrianized already. I think those overhead wires will be removed soon...


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## travelworld123

i personally think the overhead wires look nice lol
gives it a more street old china warm feel idk hard to explain...

just wondering: most of hong kongs streets always looked packed and lively, but shanghai's only look lively, vibrant and packed in places like nanjing road. but are they in other streets aroudn the bund?


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## The Chemist

travelworld123 said:


> i personally think the overhead wires look nice lol
> gives it a more street old china warm feel idk hard to explain...
> 
> just wondering: most of hong kongs streets always looked packed and lively, but shanghai's only look lively, vibrant and packed in places like nanjing road. but are they in other streets aroudn the bund?


Lots of the streets around central Shanghai (within the Inner Ring Road) have the packed and lively feel you get on Nanjing Road. Not as packed as East Nanjing Road, but certainly busy enough. Heck, even outside the inner ring road there are plenty of vibrant areas.


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## hkskyline

travelworld123 said:


> i personally think the overhead wires look nice lol
> gives it a more street old china warm feel idk hard to explain...
> 
> just wondering: most of hong kongs streets always looked packed and lively, but shanghai's only look lively, vibrant and packed in places like nanjing road. but are they in other streets aroudn the bund?


Shanghai's density is a bit more spread out, so they have more spaces to let the crowds dissipate.


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## staff

That being said-- Shanghai is super vibrant and alive pretty much all over the place. Possibly the most busy city I've ever set foot in next to Hong Kong.


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## hkskyline

Nothing innovative or 'Chinese' about that statue, and the Bund isn't the big financial district anymore either.


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## travelworld123

wow, been a while, any updates and/or photos?


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## hkskyline

Gosh ... it lost a lot of trees!


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## the spliff fairy

why is there a wall between the riverfront and river? Is it permanent?

Yep I want the trees back too.


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## travelworld123

i like the new waterfront, but are there going to be things like shops, more interaction etc...?

any photos from recent month?


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## Huhu

Get rid of the wall, replace with trees and hedges. Same functionality but much nicer.


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## the spliff fairy

Plus trees / hedge is a far better sound barrier.

Trees really are the best thing for cities - they get rid of pollution, absorb sound, provide shade and generally increase standard of living. They also happen to be beautiful too.


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## quashlo

It's not a sound barrier, and waterfront walkway is only a secondary function.

It's primary function is as a floodwall... To keep the river water out.


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## pokistic

They should have kept this old waterfront and then get rid off some lanes of the highway and place better cross walks and would have look so much better than what I see on the new waterfront with less trees.



>


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## hmmwv

e coli said:


> hey, please take a closer look and you will see there is no wall. its just an elevated waterfront-walkway  .
> and i think there are enough trees, just wait a few years till they will growth a bit ^^


Yup you are absolutely right, it's just the street side of the elevated platform, I initially thought that stores will be open there but it turned out solid flood wall. I think they should have replanted some of the old trees there, the young trees there have there right now will take years to grow to previous levels.


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## MOTA

I completely agree with "pokistic"


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## Huhu

quashlo said:


> It's not a sound barrier, and waterfront walkway is only a secondary function.
> 
> It's primary function is as a floodwall... To keep the river water out.


Thanks for clearing that up, that makes more sense. Although I still think there needs to be more green (but maybe it's just that particular section that is all concrete).


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## travelworld123

oh, lol the photo is hard to tell whether it is elevated or just the same level.

i still think the 'wall' area should have shops inside them, provides more activity and intergration. Maybe some small Shanghai snack stores would be great! Or souvenir shops etc...


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## BearCave

Shops inside the embankment? 
Imagine how much the flood insurance would be. :lol:


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## Slartibartfas

^^ Actually there is enough space to have small shops directly in front of the wall. But I guess the large plastered area is supposed to be a new square which is available for small and temporary fairs or markets or festivals or something like that, is it?


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## conc.man

for better understanding










south bund


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## travelworld123

wait, so the bit under the main waterfront over the water is for cars?


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## conc.man

travelworld123 said:


> wait, so the bit under the main waterfront over the water is for cars?


A large part of the structure of Northern bund used to be parking lot, I'm not sure what it is used for now.


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## hmmwv

I think at least some sections of the space inside the flood wall are used as parking garages, with coffee shops and small restaurants between them.


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## researcher49

*Family*



Black Cat said:


> With all due respect to W Aubrey Thomas who is a great architect, my understanding is that the design architect of the Custom House is Edwin Forbes Bothwell of Palmer and Turner (Building Shanghai, E Denison and G.U. Ren).


 
Belatedly .... I can answer all your queries, my father's uncle was in fact Edwin Forbes Bothwell of Palmer & Turner and I can confirm that he was indeed the design architect for Custom House, The Bund, Shanghai.


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## Binbiu

*Hello,I am a Phd student who is doing research about those British architects working in Shanghai. I am glad to know that you are relative of Bothwell.*



researcher49 said:


> Belatedly .... I can answer all your queries, my father's uncle was in fact Edwin Forbes Bothwell of Palmer & Turner and I can confirm that he was indeed the design architect for Custom House, The Bund, Shanghai.



Hello,I am a Phd student who is doing research about those British architects working in Shanghai in that period. I am glad to know that you are relative of Bothwell. Could you please send me your email adress. I want to know more about Edwin Forbes Bothwell.


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