Encountering the Dilemma of Change in the Architectural and Urban History of Shanghai

How does one begin to decipher an urban landscape if it is constantly changing? Four thousand years ago the land on which Shanghai is located was submerged beneath the sea. Today it is one of the most rapidly globalizing cities in the world. In looking for ways to approach the architectural and urban history of Shanghai, it may be useful to focus on the moments of change, acculturation, tension, and dilemma. It is such encounters or intersections that redefine and establish anew the very reality and imagination of the city’s timescape. In general, a city can be viewed through its overall layout, planning, policies, changing environmental conditions, and interactions between different social and cultural groups. In Encountering the Dilemma of Change in the Architectural and Urban History of Shanghai, Cary Y. Liu argues that the goal should not be to establish an immutable chronology of facts and events but to better comprehend the complex tensions and issues defining each encounter.