The Services of a Shanghai Property Agent
Posted on | October 25, 2009 | No Comments
Seeking the services of a Shanghai property agent is really beneficial. Three years back, when you was living in the Pudong district of Shanghai, there were not many new developments. As a result, there were not many options to choose from. However, with the growing number of expatriates coming to live in Shanghai with their family, many new villas, garden houses, and apartments have come up. A Shanghai property agency will help you to choose the best property as per your requirements and of course, budget.
A Shanghai Real Estate agency maintains a comprehensive database of available rental properties for expatriates. This is important with an enormous growth of the Shanghai Realty sector. Now, they want to offer the best to the expatriates. Although, it offered me quite a comfortable living experience, the apartments newly constructed in the same locality provide the tenants a host of modern amenities, including 24 hour security, power back-up, maintenance, club facilities, shopping center and so on. Many serviced apartments have also been built to meet the needs of expatriates and their families. These apartments are fully furnished and are equipped with all the modern appliances, which are required for a comfortable living.
However, if you want to experience the charm of old Shanghai city, old apartments found mainly in Former French Concession Area, Xintiandi, XuHui and Jing’an Temple area should be your choice. Of so many options available, the services of a Shanghai Property Agent become all the more important. They can offer you a good accommodation, surrounded by shopping malls, country clubs, sports center, restaurants, and grocery stores. Proximity to public transportation facilities and international schools is also a prime concern of Shanghai housing agency, while offering their services to an expatriate.
The Various Architecture Styles In Shanghai
Posted on | August 19, 2009 | No Comments
Shanghai has perhaps the most interesting modern architecture in the world. A giant, bustling city, it seems as though square box buildings are forbidden. Each building is interesting.
Shanghai has a rich collection of buildings and structures of various Architecture styles. The Bund, located by the bank of the Huangpu River, contains a rich collection of early 20th century architecture, ranging in style from neo-classical HSBC Building to the art deco Sassoon House. A number of areas in the former foreign concessions are also well preserved, and despite rampant redevelopment, the old city still retains some buildings of a traditional style
The Bund is the showcase of European buildings, and it follows right along the Huangpu River. The area is both scenic and extremely well lit at night. In fact, on a busy weekend night police try to limit the crowding along the river walkway, so you may have to wait if you head to this popular pedestrian strip in the early evening. The buildings here are now occupied by several companies and some government offices, and if you walk along the Bund at the top of the hour, you can hear the bell tower ring out the tune “The East is Red.” One of the key features of the Bund is the contrast it provides. The Puxi side of the river, with the former British settlement, is a preserved historic site, so no new development can happen in a way that cuts the classic buildings off from the river. While strolling the Bund walkway the view across the river shows an amazing contrast of contemporary or even space-aged looking buildings. This is a great view of Lu Jia Zui.
A short ferry ride from The Bund will put you in Lu Jia Zui, but take some time to enjoy the view of the buildings from The Bund side before heading over there. The Oriental Pearl Tower is probably the most noticeable building, and street vendors everywhere in Shanghai sell models and balloons of this architectural model. You may not think it’s beautiful, in fact many people don’t, but you must admit the structure is unforgettable. At night there is an impressive light display on this building, as well as large tv projections off the Aurora building in Lu Jia Zui that are easily viewed from The Bund. Also in Lu Jia Zui is the tallest building in Shanghai (at least for the next few years, plans are underway for a taller Shanghai World Financial Center): the Jin Mao Building. Interesting modern buildings are all around Shanghai, all you need to do is look up while touring the city. The Bund Center, a block in from The Bund, stuns with its crown top, the J.W. Marriott looks like something directly out of Gotham City, and city buildings like the Shanghai Museum stun with the meeting of old and new – a modern building in the style of a classic Chinese vessel.
Xin Tian Di is certainly worth a visit not only because of the interesting shops and bars, but also because of the architecture. The older buildings in this area were built in the mid 1800s as a fusion of European and Chinese architecture. The newer buildings towards the back of the complex show the ultra-modern style Shanghai currently promotes.
Other areas for European architecture include parts of Huai Hai Road and Heng Shan Road. These areas run through the former French Concession, though most of the interesting buildings were estates rather than public buildings. Today many countries’ embassies are found in this area, some interesting night clubs can be found, the former house of Premier Zhou Enlai (a historic site), and some private residences.
Perhaps one of the most spectacular buildings of modern times, Shanghai center , a supertall skyscraper is under construction in the Pudong District of the metropolis. At 580 metres, the building is expected to offer 118 stories and propel the city to be an advanced financial capital upon planned completion in 2010.
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