Shanghai: The Architecture of China's Great Urban Center. A Review

Shanghai: The Architecture of China's Great Urban Center / by Jay Pridmore (Abrams Books

, 2008) Hardcover, 176 p. ISBN 9780810994065

Shanghai: The Architecture of China's Great Urban Center looks at both the past and present architecture of this fascinating city. A major Chinese trading center since the middle of the eighteenth century, Shanghai attracted international attention during a time when the Chinese government was weak. As a result of the First Opium War (1839-1842) Shanghai became one of the Chinese cities open to foreign trade. It remained among the most foreign-influenced Chinese cities until the Communist takeover in 1949. The central government again allowed it to participate in economic liberalization beginning in 1991. All of these political and economic changes have left their mark on Shanghai's architecture.

Beginning at the city's center (the Bund), Jay Pridmore survey's the city's architectural richness moving through the financial district (the Pudong), the old downtown (the Puxi), to the outlying areas. Shanghai, now China's largest city, has more sky-scrapers than New York and a wide variety of architectural styles. Plenty of traditional Chinese buildings still exist, but owing to the pervasive foreign influence, virtually every style of both western European, American, and Soviet architecture can be found there as well.

Today, the world's top architects vie to design ambitious projects. The juxtaposition of very different styles continues, yet many of the new buildings exhibit the traditional Chinese penchant for ornamentation. One is crowned with a lotus, while another takes the form of an open orchid.

Besides being an informative survey of architectural history, Shanghai: The Architecture of China's Great Urban Center is profusely illustrated. People who have visited Shanghai will appreciate it for stirring memories and perhaps helping to identify buildings in the pictures they took. People who have never been there will appreciate both the history and the beauty of the photography. The All-Purpose Guru Alert features one carefully chosen title like this every day at bargain prices. Stop by often.

Shanghai: The Architecture of China's Great Urban Center. A Review

By: All-Purpose Guru

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