Buildings offer glimpses of changes

Park Hotel

Built in 1934 and located at 170 Nanjing Road West, just beside People's Square in the heart of Shanghai, Park Hotel was once dubbed the "No 1 building in the Far East".

It was earlier believed that skyscrapers could not be built in Shanghai because the city stands on earthy, soft soil. The idea of constructing the 24-story, 83.8-meter-high building - it would be the highest in Asia at that time - was met with skepticism by engineers. But Laszlo Hudec made the bold decision to go ahead with the project.