World Cities: Shanghai

World Cities: Shanghai, Alan Balfbur and Zheng Shiling, Qtif/tester, John WiUy, 2002,368 PP; £75.00 (h/b) Shanghai's modern urban transformation is the subject of this large format book in the long running World Cities series published by John Wiley & Sons. The first third of World Cities: Shanghai written by Alan Balfour, author of several books in the series, covers Shanghai's history and development. The rest of the volume written by Zheng Shiling, Professor at Tongji University and member of important urban and architectural planning bodies, focuses on Shanghai's eclectic architecture up to the year 2000. One chapter, 'Shanghai: Better and Better', was contributed by Xia Liqing, Chair of the Shanghai Urban Planning Administrative Bureau and secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Planning Administration. This brief essay may be viewed as a policy planning statement concerning Shanghai's future development and sustainability. Over 640 illustrations enliven the text with a substantial inventory of the new architecture that has sprung up since the reforms of 1978-79. Of particular interest are the chapters entitled 'Shanghai Builds' and 'Projects under development', replete with schematic drawings and artist's (and computer-generated) renderings with substantial information on the architectural firms entrusted with Shanghai's ongoing architectural revolution. Equally arresting is the chapter entitled 'Dreams' which showcases the international winners of architectural competitions as well as designs for cultural and commercial buildings. Visually the structures are stunning and express Shanghai's commitment to a grandiose urban vision not lacking in its past history. The book closes with an epilogue, 'Communism and Consumerism' written by Balfour, warning that 'the city's gain in affluence has been matched with a loss of character' (p. 361). It strikes an odd note after almost 200 pages displaying Shanghai's relentless modernisation and does not do justice to some of the serious issues that he raises in these last two pages in the book. Professor Zheng's chapter on the architectural history of Shanghai follows the format of his previous work, Shanghai jindai jianzhu fengge (The Evolution of Shanghai Architecture in Modern Times) (1999), that examined the pre-1949 city. This detailed research informs his concern for historic preservation which he perceives as directly related to the maintenance of culture or civic life. Although deploring the loss of many notable buildings in the early days of the reform period, this situation was remedied in 1986 when Shanghai was designated by the State Council as a 'National Historical City' allowing for a more comprehensive approach to historic conservation. The Bund (waitan) is a case in point. Landmark buildings constructed in the igaos, like the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank which was in a deplorable state 20 years ago, have been renovated. Animating these efforts are the theoretical debates in architectural circles about the relationship of architecture to the environment and culture - much like Chinese architects in the igaos and 19303 who sought to combine Chinese stylistic and cultural elements with modern building technologies in unsettled and fast changing times. In the interesting chapter which follows, 'Challenges and Potential', Professor Zheng returns to this problem and the factors which complicate the achievement of a deeper understanding of the urban fabric and the need for a more measured analysis in the face of unprecedented opportunities to build and rebuild the city. …