November Issue 2015

Shanghai has been a second home for me. I have visited it no less than 13 times as both my children, their spouses and my two granddaughters were living in that glamorous city. I have therefore witnessed Shanghai’s transformation, which has continued at a frantic pace, and it is difficult to keep track of all that is being pulled down and the hundreds of high-rises that are coming up in this city. Shanghai continues to morph on a daily basis. The aspirations China has had for Shanghai in the past two -and-a-half decades have become all too apparent now. Nevertheless, within this development paradigm there is a problem: The ongoing temptation for mega-projects and high-rise developments that cry out ‘modernity’ leaves little time to worry about preserving traditional Chinese culture or architectural heritage. Newsline provides a glimpse of one of the most happening cities in the world.   Photos by the author