The Bund: Renovated, and then even more renovated.
As documented in various places on this blog, I have been a fan, critic, and victim of the massive Shanghai-wide renovation undertaken in advance of the Expo 2010. On the fan side of things, I give a big thumb’s up to the new subway lines, and – from an urban beautification standpoint – the renovation of the Bund, Shanghai’s riverside boulevard of Big European Dreams/Buildings. A century ago, it faced docks, and traders could walk from their ships, to banks and customs houses, then back to their ships. But then, for reasons lost to me (if not history), somebody decided to run a ten-lane highway down the middle of the strech, cutting the buildings off from the riverfront promenade. What should have been a prime tourist destination became a drudgery. Let it be said: a major urban planning mistake.
And yet – with Expo in the air, somebody in Shanghai government got wise (and a subsidy), and last year crews began work on a new, improved Bund that includes an underground tunnel for the highway. Below, two photos taken roughly 20 meters and fourteen months apart. The one on the left, from September 2008; the one on the right from this afternoon. I sure like the reduced number of car lanes. Click to enlarge either image.
Addendum: A few days ago Xinhua did a detailed article on plans for the stretch – and I’ll admit to having concerns about the imminent brass charging bull statue.
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Can’t wait to visit in the next two years and see yet another version of Shanghai! The promenade on the West side of the river is an enjoyment I had to miss out on this time.
Comment by Vivian Loar — December 11, 2009 @ 8:00 am
I’m a bit disconcerted that the Xinhua article calls the Garden Bridge an “eyesore”. And isn’t Huaihai Lu already “Shanghai’s Champs-Elysees”? Also, that artist’s rendering looks nothing like the actual/previous Bund – so, huh?
I’m worried about a lot of these developments. The “Back Bund” plans are also pretty ambitious, and also all luxury projects. So far plans to make the Bund into a luxury retail area have failed hilariously – it remained a place for regular Chinese tourists, more power to them. I was thinking last week during the Chanel show at Huangpu Park about the akward juxtaposition of its apocryphal “No dogs or Chinese” repute turned into a martyrs memorial now hosting a somewhat racist French fashion show.
Turning the Bund back into an exclusive place – “No Chinese unless wealthy and/or officials” – makes me uncomfortable. So: this is the new “new China”?
Comment by Lisa — December 12, 2009 @ 10:55 am
Lisa – It’s comments like these which prove why, quite frankly, you rock. Let it never be said that you are leaving Shanghai.
I’m 100% with you on the dissection of the Xinhua article. And yet, even though Huaihai is supposed to be a Champs-Elysees, you must concede that it lacks the requisite water feature (let’s hope nobody gets any wise ideas). I don’t care much for the attempt to make the Bund “high end.” I think there’s enough “high end” in this town to last a lifetime. But I am all for eliminating 8 of 10 lanes of traffic, and my hunch is that the long-term implications of that move will mean more Chinese tourists, more snack kiosks (yay!) and far fewer Chanel shops. Let it be so.
Comment by Adam — December 12, 2009 @ 10:11 pm