The oriental metropolis of Shanghai is seeking bids internationally to design sculptures for major public places such as the southern plaza of Shanghai Railway Station and a Formula One racing court.

The call for bids is part of the city's efforts to improve the overall level of urban sculptures so that they will match Shanghai's status as an international metropolis, said Jiao Yang, spokeswoman of the municipal government.

According to the city's new Overall Plan Regarding Urban Sculptures, the metropolis will add new sculptures featuring themes ranging from the history of the city along the Huangpu and Suzhou rivers, contemporary urban culture along the Yan'an Road and the Century Avenue, to folkways and daily life in downtown areas such as Xujiahui District.

A special fund has also been set aside for construction of sculptures in the city, said Jiao, adding that the city is selecting the venue for an urban sculpture park expected to open to visitors by late 2007.

There are now 1,034 urban sculptures in Shanghai. A recent survey conducted by the urban planning department showed that only 10 percent of them are of high quality, and another 10 percent are of bad quality, and the remaining 80 percent are simply third-class.

An assessment of sculptures erected in the city's residential quarters will be held soon and those that are considered to be of poor quality will be demolished, said Jiao.

(Xinhua News Agency March 28, 2004)