I have spent most of my time abroad living in the city of Shanghai. This Chinese city is distinctively different from other parts of the country. It is both a thriving international business and development hub as well as a cultural melting pot with lots of activities for people with diverse intersets to partake in. However, similar to a lot of large cities, Shanghai has some issues concerning the environment due to a lack of safety and health standards. The pollution and abundance of hazardous materials on the streets, as well as a lack of rules for the general public, make the city streets quite dangerous. There are ways to protect oneself from many of these concerns and, like any busy environment, it is important to be aware.
Shanghai, thanks to its location on the coast, has long been home to large settlements of foreigners and much of the city’s architecture is influenced by its role as a global trading hub. Some examples of Shanghai’s landmark buildings, districts and towns that have foreign influence are the French Concession and Thames town. These parts of Shanghai are modeled with French and English architecture. For this cultural mix, the Chinese government selects architects from international firms to compete with their design ideas.
