Asian, European, Russian & UFO Architecture in Shanghai

Shanghai is the most architecturally diverse city I've ever been to. While Hong Kong's skyscraper-riddled hills and density make it striking, it's the shear whimsy, cosmopolitan feel, and futurism that excited me about Shanghai. That most sections I went to were filled with people even at night made it seem more alive to me than modern-looking American cities like Los Angeles or Dallas.

We start with the view from my hotel:

Nearby, outside the window of a breakfast place, parked bicycles & motor-scooters.

In another section of town, a very clean street (where I ate Peking Duck) reminiscent of streets in California:

But of course, there are still Pagoda-style buildings, especially on Nanking Rd where the tourists gather to shop and eat delicious Shanghai-style dumplings (which unlike Cantonese versions contain hot tasty liquid).

It's Shanghai at night time that blew me away:

The majestic glowing crown-topped building, behind a Russian-built bank along Pudong:

The upscale shopping streets come alive at night, bustling even during the week:

I found this long, skinny restaurant along the street that is one table wide. The waiters have to venture onto the sidewalk to get around:

There's a Minority Report feel to some of the shopping centers:

No skyscraper in Shanghai seems to have a conventional top. I think most have been built in the last 10-15 years and the Shanghaiese seem to like their color, form, and line to be distinctive: