Metropolis begins here—Research on the Nanjing Road Foreign Settlement section of Shanghai

Author: Chang Qing, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-03-01
Features: This book interprets the main historical information contained in the Nanjing Road Foreign Settlement section of Shanghai, one of the most influential commercial streets in modern China, from multiple observational perspectives at the intersection of spatial and cultural forms. These historical insights not only reveal the reasons for the prosperity of this district but also provide profound inspiration for its revitalization. The typical historical characteristics of the Nanjing Road Foreign Settlement section closely followed the pulse of international and contemporary trends, making it rare in the history of modern urban development that so many municipal electrification events and advanced service facilities were implemented and put into use so rapidly in the same section. At the same time, this transformation was not only material but also reflected in the spiritual level of urban civilization, such as respect for history and culture, the maintenance of social ethics, public order, and social rules, and the satisfaction of human psychological and behavioral needs, which remain the foundation of urban civilization today. The historical events and significance of municipal construction and commercial culture in the Nanjing Road Foreign Settlement section are sufficient to provoke multidirectional thinking about its future direction and prospects.
1. To sustain the advanced features of urban civilization, it is necessary to introduce advanced municipal services and commercial cultural facilities that align with the era of informatization.
2. To appropriately select business models, it is essential to make accurate value judgments and functional positioning for each block, building, and its location, allowing land value to be fully realized, thereby achieving the overall goal of establishing a comprehensive service area for finance, business, culture, tourism, and other sectors in the Nanjing Road Foreign Settlement section.
3. To perfectly integrate commercial styles with architectural styles, making them conform to their unique spatial characteristics and cultural identity, it is necessary to adopt reasonable and feasible methods and approaches to integrate spatial resources, refine both internal and external landscapes, and restore the inherent correspondence between architectural functions and their forms. Additionally, it is crucial to strive to protect and utilize the architectural heritage within these districts, delve into the long-forgotten cultural connotations of historical buildings, uncover their "identity," and restore their "value." This book is precisely dedicated to conducting research and exploration for the above purposes.