shanghai – TwistedSifter

Exploring Shanghai in an Old School Sidecar (32 Photos)

Definitely beats any city tour in a car or bus

Earlier this year I had the pleasure of exploring Shanghai in a beautifully restored, vintage sidecar and motorcycle. Our guide Max with Shanghai Insiders, showed us all around the city, taking us to places off the beaten path while teaching us about the history, food and culture of the city.

It’s tough to describe, but the feeling of riding around in a sidecar feels so different from your typical city tour in a bus or car. I would definitely recommend it if you’re feeling adventurous! Insider’s Experience offers a number of sidecar tours around the world. Be sure to check out their website, Facebook page and TripAdvisor reviews for more information.

All photographs below by TwistedSifter and are released under CC BY-ND 4.0 (Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International)

INSIDER’S EXPERIENCE
Website | Facebook | TripAdvisor

Photograph by TwistedSifter | CC BY-ND 4.0 (Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International)

Our chariot for the day

Photograph by TwistedSifter | CC BY-ND 4.0 (Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International)

Shanghai sidecar tour with Insider’s Experience

Photograph by TwistedSifter | CC BY-ND 4.0 (Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International)

Located in Shanghai’s Hongkou District this 4 story, art deco slaughterhouse was built in the early 20th century (1933 to be exact). The building was later abandoned and went through a number of uses including as an event space and market. It is now trying to rebrand as an art space and/or potentially some kind of live/work space for creatives.

Each floor is connected by a series of ramps, bridges and winding staircases which were originally designed to control the flow of cattle and people.

Photograph by TwistedSifter | CC BY-ND 4.0 (Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International)

We visited a Buddhist Temple where you could feed hundreds of Koi in exchange for a small donation

Photograph by TwistedSifter | CC BY-ND 4.0 (Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International)

The Department of Candles is serious business.

Photograph by TwistedSifter | CC BY-ND 4.0 (Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International)

A visit to the outdoor market located in the Old City of Shanghai.

Photograph by TwistedSifter | CC BY-ND 4.0 (Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International)

Just a small fire in the middle of the street in the Old City. Apparently it was some kind of tribute for a lost loved one.

Photograph by TwistedSifter | CC BY-ND 4.0 (Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International)

Shanghai’s famous skyline in the background

Photograph by TwistedSifter | CC BY-ND 4.0 (Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International)

From 1938-1939 some 17,000 residents of Central Europe migrated to Shanghai to escape the Nazis (read more here). Seen here is the ‘welcome center’ where new immigrants came. The surrounding Jewish neighborhood is where many of the 20,000 refugees lived.

Photograph by TwistedSifter | CC BY-ND 4.0 (Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International)

The beautiful tree-line streets of Shanghai’s Old French Concession.

Photograph by TwistedSifter | CC BY-ND 4.0 (Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International)

A quick stop at the bizarre Flower, Bird, Fish & Insect Market where the most popular item for sale was crickets.

Photograph by TwistedSifter | CC BY-ND 4.0 (Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International)

You see that tall high-rise in the background? That’s actually a prison!

Photograph by TwistedSifter | CC BY-ND 4.0 (Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International)

Where friendship ends

Photograph by TwistedSifter | CC BY-ND 4.0 (Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International)

A rare sight: a parkette in Shanghai

Photograph by TwistedSifter | CC BY-ND 4.0 (Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International)

Thanks for the tour Insider’s Experience!

Bonus Some Shots I took of the three tallest buildings in Shanghai

Photograph by TwistedSifter | CC BY-ND 4.0 (Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International)

The Shanghai World Financial Center, 492 m (1,614 ft), 101 floors

Photograph by TwistedSifter | CC BY-ND 4.0 (Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International)

Shanghai Tower, the second tallest building in the world. 632 m (2,073 ft), 128 floors

Photograph by TwistedSifter | CC BY-ND 4.0 (Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International)

All three towers are located in Pudong

Photograph by TwistedSifter | CC BY-ND 4.0 (Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International)

A hazy view of Shanghai from the 87th floor of the Shanghai World Financial Center. In the foreground is the Jin Mao Tower. 420.5 m (1,380 ft)

There’s a Speakeasy in Shanghai Hidden Behind This Old Coke Machine

Situated in the former French Concession area of Shanghai you will find a nondescript sandwich shop called, The Press. There’s not much to the place aside from a neon sign with a whimsical epithet and an old Coca-Cola machine in the corner…

Alberto Caiola, the designer of The Press adds:

At first glance, The traditional diner setting of The Press looks immediately familiar to passerby, but a number of edgier, more contemporary details call for a second look: the smooth, finished countertops in colourful shades, neon lighting strips and polished minimalism of the furnishings set against unfinished walls, rough concrete walls and floors, plus a dramatic, asymmetrical drop ceiling create an unconventional scene that inspires curiosity in the space. The centrepiece of the room is a vintage Coca-Cola vending machine, which is split vertically to swing open and reveal the entrance to Flask.

Design by Alberto Caiola | Photograph by Shen Zhonghai

Through a tunnel visitors will step into an environment of extreme contrast with the sandwich shop up front. Welcome to Flask; a dimly lit, contemporary take on the classic speakeasy.

Design by Alberto Caiola | Photograph by Shen Zhonghai

Flask was also designed by Caiola and the first thing you’ll notice is the impressive floor-to-ceiling shelving unit right next to the entrance, featuring 25 individually illuminated whiskey bottles.

Design by Alberto Caiola | Photograph by Shen Zhonghai

The second piece you’ll notice is a wall installation featuring rows of flasks that are hidden behind a mysterious layer—like the speakeasy itself, the surfaces of these flasks are hidden, with only the outline of their shapes to give the viewer an idea of what lies beneath.

The rest of the space is designed to feel private and personal. Lighting is kept minimal and muted, with several base points throughout the venue each emitting a warm glow of light that bounces off one another. The most prominent of these is the copper lighting arrangement in the inside of the drop ceiling, which diffuses subtle amber light from the overhead.

Design by Alberto Caiola | Photograph by Shen Zhonghai

For more project information visit AlbertoCaiola.com

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Picture of the Day: The Most Hypnotic Ceiling in Shanghai

THE MOST HYPNOTIC CEILING IN SHANGHAI

Photograph by DEAN MULLIN
Website | Facebook | Twitter | 500px

In this dizzying capture by Dean Mullin, we see an incredible vaulted ceiling at a BMW dealership in a mall in Shanghai. According to Mullin:

“no illusion, just a really high vaulted ceiling – which looked amazing when looking up. As I tried to position myself around the BMW’s and salesmen around me. One of them commented, ‘you know, I don’t understand why you take photos of that’, my reply was ‘well, it’s all about the lines, beautiful light, symmetry, angles…. just like that Beemer behind me!’ “

The photo was taken with a Sony A850 using a Zeiss 16-35mm f2.8 lens. Focal Length: 16mm; Shutter Speed: 1/15 secs; Aperture: f/5.6; ISO/Film: 250

To see more from Mullin, check out his portfolio on 500px or on his official website.

via Dean Mullin on 500px

Crane Operator for Shanghai’s Tallest Building Takes Amazing Photos of City Below

Photographer Wei Genshen

Amateur photographer Wei Genshen has taken advantage of his day job as a crane operator to take breathtaking photos of the city from high above the sprawling metropolis. Currently under construction is the Shanghai Tower in Lujiazui, Pudong, Shanghai. Upon its projected completion in 2014, the building will stand approximately 632 metres (2,073 ft) high and will have 121 stories, making it the second-tallest building in the world and the tallest structure of any kind in China. [Source]

Led by Chinese architect Jun Xia, Shanghai Tower was designed by American architectural firm Gensler, and takes the form of nine cylindrical buildings stacked atop each other. Shanghai, with a total population near 24 million, is the largest city in China and home to more than 20,000 buildings over 11 storeys.

According to the Daily Mail, the amazing series below recently earned Wei second prize in the Shanghai City Photography Competition.

[via Daily Mail, My Modern Met, Bored Panda]