An Architect Looks at Shanghai.

"View from my balcony of demolition in preparation for another large development.

While I understand that new development is inevitable and necessary, I believe it's a
cause for concern that the vast majority of it completely destroys the old urban
fabric without a trace."

The roving architect, Stefan Schwarzkopf, is working in Shanghai. He has taken a whole slew of gorgeous photos of the architecture of the city. In the face of the 24/7 Beijing 2008 Olympics media splurge, we thought it would be interesting to look at Shanghai, a city in the making. We think Schwarzkopf's photography provides a trained eye on everything from the the loosely vernacular to the peak of modern spectacle. His comments (click on the photo for "info") are often like found poetry.

This from the Wiki:

Shanghai is one of the largest urban areas in the world with over 20 million residents and is home to the world's largest port...The city is an emerging tourist destination renowned for its historical landmarks such as the Bund and Xintiandi, its modern and ever-expanding Pudong skyline including the Oriental Pearl Tower, and its new reputation as a cosmopolitan center of culture and design.

Shanghai has been referred to by the press as a "global city" and the "showpiece" of the world's fastest-growing economy. Here is Stefan's point of view in his Flickr slideshow. Check out the bamboo scaffolding!