Buildings on bund revived in style
The elegant and historic buildings on Shanghai's bund, the city's most famous avenue, are being transformed to showcase the fashionable side of the vibrant metropolis.
These historic buildings occupy a superb location, which was Shanghai's business and financial hub in the '20s and '30s. The new elements of art, culture, food and fashion have breathed new life and energy into the buildings.
Several such buildings on the bund are turning themselves into entertainment centers. Case in point is Three on the Bund. Located on the crossing of Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu and Guangdong Lu, it's a 1916 building with seven floors, housing the Shanghai Gallery of Arts, foreign restaurants, fashion stores and an upmarket day spa.
"We feel it's the integration and convergence of the different aspects of lifestyle, all operated to the same high quality standard, that allows us to create a truly unique experience," said Alan Hepburn, managing director of Three on the Bund.
Old buildings are generally costlier to work on than new ones. But Three on the Bund has been more than a commercial venture. It's more about bringing a new lifestyle experience to the people who live in and visit Shanghai.
Hepburn said his company appointed one of the world's most renowned architects, Michael Graves, to assist in restoring the building.
"The design kept the original exterior but transformed the interior into a contemporary classic," Hepburn said.
(China Daily 09/26/2007 page15)
