Page 20 - Sphere No.16 (Apr 2006)

18 SPHERE
East, renowned for its dance halls, grand
mansions, dapperly-dressed people, co-
lourful characters and freewheeling capi-
talist spirit.
Its stunning return to those days of af-
fluence and vivacity was initially orches-
trated during the 1980s, when it was de-
cided to yank near-comatose Shanghai
back on the fast track. A radical blueprint
for regeneration was unveiled; the idea
was to transform the Pudong area of go-
downs, paddy-fields, slums and derelict
buildings across the river from the famous
Bund promenade into a showcase project
for the New China, a place of wide bou-
levards, soaring modern towers, ample
parkland and state-of-the art factories.
Planners, architects, engineers and
workers hurried and scurried tomake the
grand vision a reality. By the time Shang-
hai entered the 21st century, it was able to
parade a list of assets that included a new
stock exchange, five-star hotels a-plenty,
super-luxury apartment blocks galore
ODAY’S YOUNG OFFICE LADIES
ARE EXERCISING THEIR NEW-FOUND
SPENDING POWER VIGOROUSLY T