Pudong

Shanghai is divided into two primary areas: Puxi, the older section that has everything that’s even remotely interesting, and Pudong, which is China’s super-sized version of Irvine, California. The Huangpu River flows between them.

I had to go for a client meeting out in Pudong today. It takes between 30 minutes and 2 hours to get out there from my office depending on the traffic.

Fifteen years ago Pudong was little more than a swamp. Now it’s got a couple of the world’s tallest buildings (Jin Mao Tower, pictured on right; and China World Trade, not yet completed), the tallest observation tower in Asia, a levitating train to the airport, and some of the most unfortunate architecture that’s even been inflicted on humanity. A lot of multi-national companies are based out there because it’s cheaper, cleaner, more spacious and home to many of the international schools.

It seems the Chinese are determined to make the same tragic urban planning errors that created the endless aesthetic banality of most of the US. (Tom Wolff once commented on Atlanta: “The only way you know you’re in a different neighborhood is when the fast food chains start over.”) There are 8 lane boulevards, big box stores and giant moats of asphalt that make it impossible to be a pedestrian.

More and more of the housing there is in suburban-style gated neighborhoods done in some theme that is pure kitsch considering its actual locale (Mediterranean villas, Southwestern adobe homes, Romanesque with lots of fountains and columns, etc.) It's all very fancy -- a narrow Donald Trump-inspired fantasy of what wealth should look and feel like.

Despite all of my petty criticisms, it is shiny and new and impressive.

And considering the history of this place -- it's progress.