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The World Financial Center
TheShanghai World Financial Center, a landmark skyscraper sitting in Pudong area, is another must-see sight in Shanghai. It is a multi-functional building that consists of many magnificent offices, hotels, conference rooms, observation decks, and shopping malls.
The Shanghai World Financial Center, designed and constructed by a group of more than 40 corporations from Japan, China and the US, was a huge project with a total investment added up to more than 105 billion Yen (more than 1 billon USD). The building was originally planned to be the tallest building in the world when it was designed in 1997.But the construction was halted because of fund shortage caused by the Asian Financial Crisis after the foundations were completed during 1997-1998. On 13 February 2003, the Mori Group increased the building's height from the initial plans for a 460 m (1,509 ft), 94-story building to 492 m and 101 stories to compete with the Taipei101. The building construction resumed on 16 November 2003 using the foundation of the original design and topped out at a height of 492 m on 14 September 2007 .Then after the installations of the final cladding panels and elevators, it was completed on 17 July 2008.And the observation floor was officially opened to the public on 30 August 2008.
The most distinctive feature of the building is an aperture at the peak. The original design specified a circular aperture, 46 m (151 ft) in diameter, to reduce the stresses of wind pressure, as well as serve as a subtext for the design, since “Chinese mythology represents the earth with a square and the sky with a circle”. However, this initial design was criticized to be too similar to the rising sun on Japanese flag. The controversial problem was solved by a suggestion to replace the circle with a trapezoidal hole, making the building look like a giant bottle opener to some people.
Another attraction in the building is its observation bridge which is the highest outdoor observation deck in the world. The building features three observation decks to be exact. And the height of its lowest observation deck is 423 m (1,388 ft), on the 94th floor, the second 439 m (1,440 ft) high, on the 97th floor, named "Observatory Bridge", and the highest 474 m (1,555 ft) high, on the 100th floor. Just imagine how it feels to walk on the decks like walking in the clouds.
We all know ,to know the ancient Shanghai, you should go to Yuyuan Garden .But if you want to witness the fast and steady development of Shanghai ,the metropolis that works wonder, then the Shanghai World Financial Center will definitely be your first and wisest option.
The Shanghai World Financial Center, designed and constructed by a group of more than 40 corporations from Japan, China and the US, was a huge project with a total investment added up to more than 105 billion Yen (more than 1 billon USD). The building was originally planned to be the tallest building in the world when it was designed in 1997.But the construction was halted because of fund shortage caused by the Asian Financial Crisis after the foundations were completed during 1997-1998. On 13 February 2003, the Mori Group increased the building's height from the initial plans for a 460 m (1,509 ft), 94-story building to 492 m and 101 stories to compete with the Taipei101. The building construction resumed on 16 November 2003 using the foundation of the original design and topped out at a height of 492 m on 14 September 2007 .Then after the installations of the final cladding panels and elevators, it was completed on 17 July 2008.And the observation floor was officially opened to the public on 30 August 2008.
The most distinctive feature of the building is an aperture at the peak. The original design specified a circular aperture, 46 m (151 ft) in diameter, to reduce the stresses of wind pressure, as well as serve as a subtext for the design, since “Chinese mythology represents the earth with a square and the sky with a circle”. However, this initial design was criticized to be too similar to the rising sun on Japanese flag. The controversial problem was solved by a suggestion to replace the circle with a trapezoidal hole, making the building look like a giant bottle opener to some people.
Another attraction in the building is its observation bridge which is the highest outdoor observation deck in the world. The building features three observation decks to be exact. And the height of its lowest observation deck is 423 m (1,388 ft), on the 94th floor, the second 439 m (1,440 ft) high, on the 97th floor, named "Observatory Bridge", and the highest 474 m (1,555 ft) high, on the 100th floor. Just imagine how it feels to walk on the decks like walking in the clouds.
We all know ,to know the ancient Shanghai, you should go to Yuyuan Garden .But if you want to witness the fast and steady development of Shanghai ,the metropolis that works wonder, then the Shanghai World Financial Center will definitely be your first and wisest option.
