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Bund(WaiTan) beauty blooms again
http://www.sina.com.cn 2004/07/16 11:25  上海英文星报

  LIN Yuyao, a senior counsellor in a transnational corporation now back in his hometown of Shanghai after living in France for a decade, badly misses one aspect of his former French lifestyle. And that is the renowned cuisine of France - something he was able to enjoy on any night during his sojourn there.

  "I am waiting anxiously for the opening of the Michelin 3-star restaurant on the Bund. I was a regular customer when working in France and now I am tickled pink to think that soon I can relive that pleasant experience at Bund 18," he said.

  After the grand opening of Three on the Bund, a luxury complex of world-class boutiques and restaurants, another historic building - Bund 18 - is due to re-open this month after two years of planning, construction and restoration. The final result recalls memories of the building's heyday in the early 20th century.

  'Waitanyuan' project

  Flanked by the Peace Hotel South Building and the AIA Building, this stunning six-storey neo-Grecian building has been transformed to provide a world-class dining, retail and entertainment experience.

  No. 18 is in the centre of the historic waterfront promenade of the Bund and its renovation is only part of the overall rejuvenation plan for the Bund.

  As a symbol of Shanghai, the Bund has long been a "must-visit" tourist destination. From early last year, the headstream of the Bund has been experiencing the beginning of a renaissance through the "Waitanyuan Project".

  "Waitanyuan" means literally "the headstream of the Bund" and is centred at the confluence of Suzhou Creek and the Huangpu River. The area of the project runs from the Huangpu to the east, Suzhou Creek to the north, Sichuan Zhonglu to the west and Dianchi Lu to the south and covers an area of 0.16 square kilometres.

  The project also has in its care 14 buildings of various architectural styles from the late 19th century to the early years of the 20th.

  The area was - and is - a major financial centre and that, together with its unique architectural and cultural heritage, makes the Waitanyuan Project of vital importance to the city.

  The planned re-development of the area involves some demolition work including the complete destruction of some buildings.

  Last month, the famous nine-storey Shanghai Friendship Store was demolished as being not suited to the general style and look of the Bund.

  The very name "the Bund" conjures up an image of an extraordinary skyline of historic buildings and bustling crowds of travellers from home and abroad.

  Visitors pose for pictures in front of "the exhibition of world architectural styles" with the modern skyscrapers of Lujiazui across the Huangpu River in Pudong providing another backdrop. Few local people go there for entertainment or shopping. Apart from its scenic attractions, the Bund is a place of solemn business full of banks and insurance companies.

  But a change is coming to the Bund. According to the Waitanyuan Project, the municipal government wants to reshape the area into a high-grade comprehensive complex embodying tourism, residential buildings, commerce, business and recreation.

  With Three on the Bund hosting George Armani's flagship store and Bund 18 being the home to Cartier's flagship store (in October), the Bund will soon emerge as a high-end shopping centre. Visitors will come from near and far to appreciate its unique historic personality and will also be able to take advantage of its new chic style.

  "World-class brand names are hoping to enhance their image with the help of this unmatched world-famous location. Their investment is on a long-term perspective, thus creating a win-win situation for both Shanghai and their companies," said Sylvia Lee, director of Bund 18 Real Estate Development Ltd.

  Area for the rich

  However, controversy also surrounds the re-development. Many locals are afraid that the Bund will turn into a place reserved for the rich where ordinary people will not even be able to afford a drink.

  "I am looking forward to the Bund's future, but I still hope I can enjoy myself there with the average-level income I'm now receiving," said Lin Mei, a local resident.

  It appears this worry is well-founded. "We are trying to attract world-renowned brands to this area to create a high-end business district," said Jian Xizhou, director of the Foreign Economic Commission for Huangpu District.

  Developers are still optimistic. "The vision for Shanghai's future continues to improve and now that Shanghai will host World Expo 2010, the living standards of its people will be substantially improved. An increasing number of people will join the queues to buy the world-famous brands," Sylvia Lee said.

  Repairing damage

  The collection of historic buildings along the Bund is the very thing that has attracted the luxury brand names. These colonial relics were built during the period from 1920 to 1939, featuring such architectural styles as Gothic, Baroque, Romanesque, Classic, Neo-classic and Renaissance. A walk down the Bund is like entering an exhibition of world architecture.

  For decades, however, the buildings making up this historic waterfront icon of the old Shanghai of the 1920s and 1930s have languished, deteriorated, been emptied or poorly restored.

  "The exterior walls of some historic buildings haven't been washed for several decades while the effects of corrosion and carbonization have taken their toll. There has also been damage caused from using the wrong chemical cleaning agents," said Giuseppe Tonini, an expert in historic building protection from Italy. He has immersed himself in thoroughly researching and studying the various architectural styles on the Bund and the current state of the buildings.

  At Bund 18, the intricate ceiling of the atrium remains intact after 80-plus years but most of the surrounding marble walls are almost beyond repair due to the corrosive effects of humidity and the varnish used by the former lessees.

  After being hired by the developer of Bund 18, Dr. Tonini insisted on using natural cleaning agents like baking soda and soap to clean the exterior walls of the building.

  "We found during the restoration of Bund 18 that the marble had turned black due to the wanton use of glue for posting notices in the interior of the building," Sylvia Lee said. "When the rear portion of Bund 18 was being removed for the construction of another building in 1994, the west facade of Bund 18 was damaged disastrously."

  "Every historic building is a fine piece of art in itself and deserves to be looked after by the people using it. Now we are making an all-out effort to revive Bund 18 and we hope our descendants will value our hard work," Sylvia Lee added.

  Even if heritage protection is now receiving more attention in China, in reality there are still few constraints on the owners of heritage buildings.

  "Developers often opt for fast and historically insensitive renovations of old buildings. The necessity and proper techniques for historically correct renovation are often undervalued," said Patrick Cranley from Shanghai Historic House Association.

  "Some developers even try to maximize the current value of these buildings by replacing their historic interiors with starkly modern additions that preserve little of the original idea."

  Sylvia Lee said: "An historic building is a book whose first, second and third chapters have been written. We are here to resume from the fourth chapter. Therefore our renovation efforts must not harm the integrity of the original structure, its layout and interior decor."

  By Sun Lijun and Xu Gang




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