Sipping a cup of coffee at the roof balcony of Bund 3, overlooking the Huangpu River winding to the east, Yang Hailan felt something quite new about Shanghai, the city where she was born and grew up.

"I see a different Shanghai, no longer bustling," said Yang, a 27-year-old accountant.

"I've never seen the city from this angle," she said.

The crowds move slowly along the Bund. The boats go to and fro on the river. The skyline is varied.

Towards the western side of the Huangpu River, there is colonial architecture from the early 20th century. On the north, at Lujiazui in Pudong New Areas, there are modern buildings with the symbolic Oriental Pearl Tower, Jinmao Tower and other high-rises.

"It's also quite impressive to spend some time in this 82-year-old building," she said. "I'm planning to taste a real French dinner here at Jean Georges."

Before leaving the building Yang went window shopping at the Giorgio Armani flagship shop on the ground floor. "Different from Xin Tian Di, it's more fashionable and more international here," said Yang, adding that Xin Tian Di offers local Shanghai flavour.

Located at the entrance of Guangdong Road, the refurbished Bund 3, the former site of the Union Bank and later the office building of the Shanghai Architecture Institute for Civic Designs, is a successful example of revitalizing an old building into a modern complex.

One of the newest attractions in the city, it hosts the Armani boutique on the ground floor, a gallery and several restaurants serving Chinese, French and Japanese cuisine.

Bund 3 is only part of the renovation of the Bund area, often dubbed as the perfect conglomerate of various styles of architecture in the early 20th century.

A symbol of Shanghai

The Bund (Wai Tan) is one of the symbols of Shanghai. Located along the Huangpu River, the Bund shows off Shanghai's outstanding foreign buildings, most of which were erected before 1937. To the Europeans, the Bund was Shanghai's answer to Wall Street. In the 1930s, the string of buildings hosted the city's financial and commercial centres, and the world's greatest banks and trading empires established a base here.

"The Bund" was derived from an Anglo-Indian term that literally means "a muddy embankment." At the beginning of the 19th century, the area was a mere shallow waterfront covered with reeds.

At the northwestern end of the Bund was Huangpu Park (once called British Public Gardens). More of a pedestrian walkway than a conventional park, this area was also under the control of the British. It was forbidden territory to Chinese people for years, unless they were accompanying employers. Today, the park is free and open to everyone; it is a well-maintained walkway providing excellent views over the river to Pudong and down the river to the old Customs House and other colonial relics.

On the west side of the Bund are various towering buildings of different architectural styles, including Gothic, Baroque and Romanesque. The combination of these structures creates a unique boulevard that resembles the Liverpool Docks and 1920s New York City.

Today, the Bund is in the process of another transformation.

New Bund

According to the Huangpu District government, the Bund area is expected to enjoy a renaissance with new recreation and retail outlets. Shops, restaurants and recreation facilities are planned for this area, changing its solemn hub of banks and insurance companies.

"We are trying to attract global brands to the area to create a high-end central business district," said Jiang Xizhou, director of the foreign economic commission of Huangpu District.

"The new Bund will be more fashionable and people-oriented," Jiang said.

Earlier last month, the New Huangpu Group signed a co-operative agreement with the Rockefeller Group of the United States, to develop the "Waitanyuan project."

Waitanyuan, meaning the headstream of the Bund, is located at the convergence of Suzhou Creek and the Huangpu River, with the Huangpu River to the east, the Suzhou Creek to the north, Sichuan Zhonglu to the west and Dianchi Lu to the south. Covering an area of 0.16 square kilometres, it is also the heart of the historical and cultural legacy of the Bund.

Cultural importance

A procession of historical buildings that line the Bund starts here. The buildings are famous for exhibiting architectural influences from around the world, built during the period from 1920 to 1936.

The 14 buildings bear eloquent witness to the many changes Shanghai has undergone.

This is also the birthplace of modern Shanghai. Shanghai's modern finance and trade can all trace their origins to the Waitanyuan area.

The history behind the area is of irreplaceable cultural significance.

The Waitanyuan project is one of the key initiatives aimed at preserving Shanghai's historical and cultural heritage.

It is also listed as one of the key projects in the comprehensive development of the both sides of the Huangpu River.

However, since the local government started the planning for the upgrade, heated discussion between architectural experts has ignited.

The most controversial issues include resettlement of the old residents, divergence between designers and developers, as well as the public interest.

"The area of Waitanyuan cannot be turned into a second Lujiazui, an empty and dead city at night, said Zheng Shiling, a professor with Tongji University and director of the Urban Space Studies Institute.

Zheng didn't hide his worries that if Waitanyuan becomes an area of expensive hotels, offices, shops, high-end housing and a park, fewer ordinary people will come for fun at night.

Zheng added that is a problem many cities, like Chicago and New York, have faced in renovating old areas.

But Liu Taige, director of the Singaporean Urban Rebuilding Bureau, did not agree with Zheng at all.

"Even the residents living in the Waitanyuan area are always changing."

He emphasized that the passage of time has not gone without its mark on the lifestyle of the residents there.

New residents coming after the project is completed will "bring new vitality to the area."

In its exploration of the redevelopment model of the new and old urban areas, on the basis of a detailed survey of the architecture, history, culture and development concepts, the New Huangpu Group has advocated the brand-new concept of "development with preservation by respecting history, planning with foreign experts and seeking international co-operation."

After a year of refinement, a plan designed by a first-class international architecture firm, Italy-based Gregotti, and endorsed by first-class international consulting firms, was finally released.

According to the plan, the Waitanyuan development will combine Suzhou Creek, greenery, historical sights and urban redevelopment.

The project claims to be a key construction project for Shanghai that will preserve and renovate a large historically and culturally significant area.

"In accordance with the terms of the first agreement signed, we will now move forward and co-ordinate best efforts to achieve several project milestones critical to the successful progression of this important project," said Jonathan D Green, president and CEO of the Rockefeller Group.

The Peninsula Hotel, located at No 31 Zhongshan Dongyi Lu, will be the first project to be launched under the Waitanyuan plan.

The project cost for the first phase is estimated at US$250 million.

(China Daily June 8, 2004)