Building Shanghai: The Story of China's Gateway

by Edward Denison, Guang Yu Ren

Shanghai's illustrious history and phenomenal future is celebrated in this book, which examines the evolution of the city's architecture and urban form in order to contextualise the challenges facing the city today. The physical legacies that reflect Shanghai's uniqueness historically and contemporarily are examined chronologically using specific case studies of exemplary architecture interwoven in a compelling narrative that unlocks the many mysteries surrounding this amazing metropolis. Some of the most influential colonial architecture in the world, outstanding examples of Modernism and Art Deco, and an exceptional selection of eclectic and vernacular architecture reflecting Shanghai's many adopted cultures are revealed. This is the first book ever to examine this remarkable subject in a manner that is both comprehensive and captivating in its written content and stunningly illustrated with over 300 archive and contemporary photographs and maps.

Genres: Architecture

258 pages, Hardcover

First published June 13, 2006

About the author

Dr Edward Denison is a Lecturer at The Bartlett School of Architecture and an independent architectural, urban and cultural specialist. He is Director of the MA Architecture and Historic Urban Environments, Co-coordinator of Year5 Thesis, Module Coordinator of Multiple Modernities Architecture on the MA Architectural History, and a PhD Supervisor.

Reviews

[Stanley Xue · Rating 2 out of 5]

Would give it 2.5 / 5.
It gives an overview of Shanghai's history through the lens of urban development / architecture and the different historical influences that have shaped this city - so it was a nice book to read about shanghainese history as well.
There are heaps of pictures too (although I did skip some of these because a lot of these were profiles on different buildings). Some of these buildings I did see in my recent trip - so that was interesting.
Unsurprisingly, even from the time of writing (20 years ago) - there has been so much development and the city looks so different even from the images in the latest chapter.

[Zoltan Pogatsa · Rating 4 out of 5]

More a booklet than a book, but it is quite informative about the different stages through which the layout and the architecture of this fascinating city developed. Lots of maps and large pictures, illustrations. Fun to read through!