From concrete and steel to lush green
There is a lot more to Pudong’s architecture than skyscrapers. Century Avenue is the 5-km-long boulevard that runs through the neighbourhood and connects the concrete buildings with the green vegetation. The street’s landscape design is quite unique: 8 botanical gardens have been integrated into the asymmetrical traffic lanes. Named after Chinese trees, the gardens are home to more than 80,000 plants and symbolise the region's sustainable development. The green boulevard runs from the highest skyscrapers to the largest city park, Century Park.
The fastest train in the world
The fastest train in the world runs between Pudong airport and the business district. Or rather, it flies. The Maglev, the only commercial levitation train in the world, hovers one centimetre above the track. Reaching a record speed of 430 kilometres per hour, the train zooms into the city. It only takes 7 minutes to reach Pudong.
The Shanghai of the future
The number of residents in Shanghai grows by the minute and each new skyscraper surpasses the last in height and design. The local government is always trying to stay one step ahead of progress and displays its city plans in the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center. The exhibit, spread out over 2 storeys, shows both the historic Pearl of the Orient as well as one of the world’s busiest cities. The highlight is the miniature city, which shows the city - including all the high rises to be built by 2020 - in miniature.
