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Unsurprisingly, we've written a lot about the Shanghai Tower. The world's second tallest building commands attention from all angles — its sinuous shape and 632-metre height are innovations that would not have been possible even a decade ago. The change in modern building typology corresponds to the considerable change in Shanghai's skyline, a stunning transformation driven by a booming Chinese economy. When the 492-metre-tall Shanghai World Financial Center was completed in 2008, it easily dwarfed the Jin Mao Tower to become the tallest tower in the country. With the arrival of the 128-storey Shanghai Tower, visitors to the vertigo-inducing observation deck can now look down on both landmark skyscrapers.
Chinese architect Jun Xia led the design team with American architectural firm Gensler, crafting a building of nine stacked cylindrical volumes enclosed by an inner and outer glass facade. The wide openings between these two layers provide public and private spaces for office tenants and hotel guests, creating distinct atriums, cafes, restaurants, and retail spaces that overlook the dense cityscape.
Visitors are lifted to the observation deck on the 119th level in the world's fastest elevator, which shoots skyward at a dizzying rate of 18 metres per second. Once there, guests are treated to a curved set of floor-to-ceiling windows that allow the intrepid to push their lenses up against the glass to grab a shot — no cumbersome obstacles inhibit the experience.
The western view shows the Huangpu River splitting the city into two regions, Pudong and Puxi. Some of China's most recognizable skyscrapers are located in the Pudong district, where the Shanghai Tower is anchored. The two sculptural tower blocks immediately below denote the Shanghai International Finance Centre. Located on the southeast quadrant of the Lujiazui roundabout, the north tower houses the Shanghai headquarters of HSBC, while the south tower is occupied by a Ritz-Carlton hotel. The Nikken Sekkei-designed Bank of China Tower and the 2002-built Bocom Financial Towers are identifiable landmarks in the bottom right of the image below.
Situated closer to the river is the Oriental Pearl Tower, which was completed in 1994 at a height of 468 metres. The futuristic structure's 11 spheres house 15 observation decks, a 20-room hotel, and a revolving restaurant. The tower shines at night with a dramatic display of LEDs illuminating the concrete pillars and spheres in vivid colours. In stark contrast to the mirrored glass facades and contemporary designs that have defined Pudong's skyline, the Colonial-Era buildings of The Bund stand to remind tourists of Shanghai's storied history. This impressive and varied stock of architecture reflect the image of the numerous European banks and trading houses that helped create one of Asia's premier financial hubs.
Prolonging its reputation as a popular tourist destination, the north end of the Bund — where Suzhou Creek and the Huangpu River meet — is home to the Monument to the People's Heroes. Built in 1993 to recognize revolutionary martyrs and those who lost their lives fighting natural disasters, the 24-metre-tall concrete structure resembles three rifles leaning into each other. With tremendous vistas towards Pudong, the surrounding public plaza has become a favoured spot for exercise classes. A few blocks away, the Skidmore, Owings & Merrill-designed Sinar Mas Center represents Shanghai's most recent supertall completion. The main 320-metre office tower rises from a footprint shaped like a magnolia flower. Its floor plates expand as the building ascends, maxing out in the middle, and subsequently diminishing towards the apex. A substantial three-storey retail podium and China's first W branded hotel are also noteworthy features of the development.
Panning to the south yields views of several skyscrapers completed within the past 15 years, including the 60-storey Shimao International Plaza and the 285-metre Tomorrow Square. On the riverfront, British architects Foster + Partners with Heatherwick Studio designed a series of staggered volumes with two signature 180-metre towers. The Bund Finance Centre contains premium office space, a boutique hotel, luxury retail and a cultural complex within stone and bronze structures. Bund SOHO — which was awarded 'China Best Tall Building Overall' earlier this year — is also visible in the photo below. Designed by gmp Architekten and ECADI, six buildings of projecting and recessed walls hold office and retail functions. Its simple geometry and clean lines erupt from a ground plane rich in landscaping and pedestrian pathways. Containing a mix of low-slung residential pockets amid clusters of highrises, Shanghai's concrete jungle extends as far as the eye can see.
The image below shows the full profile of the imposing Shanghai World Financial Centre. A section of the Jin Mao Tower is visible at the bottom left, while the remainder of the image portrays multiple office towers scattered among the colourful rooftops of mid-rise apartment blocks. In the far distance, the red pylons of the Yangpu Bridge can be spotted. Providing a connection across the Huangpu River since 1993, it is one of the longest cable-stayed bridges in the world and carries over 100,000 vehicles every day.
The Nanpu Bridge, sister to the Yangpu Bridge, has provided a similar link between Puxi and Pudong since 1991. Shorter and taking on a simpler white motif, the bridge appears when looking directly south from the tower. To the southeast, the tree-lined Century Avenue can be seen running from the Lujiazui business district to the 140-acre Century Park, the largest public green space in the city.
The tower's innovative asymmetrical form and tapering profile ensure the new centrepiece of the Lujiazui commercial district withstands typhoon-force winds. Besides its practical purpose, the shape of the building also creates a remarkable silhouette on the Shanghai skyline. With over 20,000 curtain wall panels affixed to the tower, the building's suspended skin emphasizes its organic contours. Shanghai Tower epitomizes the visionary buildings dreamt up in the past, when architects and developers would imagine giant skyscrapers as self-contained vertical cities. The development serves as a framework for future smart cities, and a symbol of modern China's emergence as a global powerhouse.
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| Related Companies: | Gensler |
