The Urban Edit
We’ve come to realize a great irony of modern travel. And it’s this: the people who recoil most at the notion of seeing a city with a tour guide are often the very people who would actually benefit (and enjoy having one) the most.
The reason for this inverse snobbery? Tour guides have an image problem.
If someone decided to shrink 798 and drop it behind the National Art Museum of China, you’d end up with C&C Park. This achingly hip former print factory isn’t just home to Meridian Space (with its fixie bikes, urban courtyard and café perfect for morning coffees) – but a huge surprise in the form of Chinese fashion designer Ma Ke’s showroom.
Ninja cat, surfboarding dog, Donald Trump memes… They all went viral. And now, ladies and gentlemen, we believe we might have created the first ever viral tour.
Want to get to the top of the second tallest building on earth? Of course you do! If only it were open to the public, eh? So here’s the good news: Bespoke is one of a handful of trusted companies to hold the keys to the tower during its mysterious soft opening (‘maybe July or August’ is what we were told when we last asked about full public access). Thus far, we’ve been running private tours to the ‘Top of Shanghai’ but, due to demand, we’ve arranged two special public tours on May 19th and 21st. Act quickly, because spaces are limited and booking will close 48 hours prior to the tours (or when all spaces are taken).
In terms of height the super sexy Shanghai Tower, designed by US master architects Gensler, is second only to Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, but here’s a fun fact: its viewing platform is actually higher than the Burj’s, meaning you’re visiting the world’s highest observation deck before the inevitable tourist crowds descend. Our tour will take in the buildings rather slick basement museum where the conception, design and construction of the tower is illustrated by means of video, hologram, touchscreen and a whole bunch of sci-fi-esque goodness! Shanghai Tower staff are on hand for those that really want to geek out on the buildings numerous statistics and superlatives. We then board the world’s fastest elevator and zip 118 floors to the ‘Top of Shanghai’ where you’ll gaze down on the once-mighty ‘Bottle Opener’ and Jinmao Tower from your prime position atop the new king of the Pudong skyline.
Viewing platforms, observatories, sky decks: where would the modern Asian megalopolis be without them, eh? Whatever you want to call them, they’re a must for the urban traveler and a game in which Shanghai has some serious form – three crowd pleasing spots (the Jinmao, the SWFC and the Oriental Pearl) compete hard for the tourist dollar in the Lujiazui area alone. Think that’s market saturation? Don’t count on it.
The slinky Shanghai Tower, second tallest building on earth (damn you, Dubai!) is about to launch her very own contender, ‘Top of Shanghai’, to shake things up a little. It’s all still in super soft opening at the moment so unless you’re a member of Team Bespoke (or a Russian free climber with balls of steel) chances are you’ve not enjoyed this particular view yet.
Bespoke has teamed up once again with the experts from Historic Shanghai for a one-off Nanjing Art Deco Weekender – and you’re invited! After spending much of last year dodging Nanjing’s security guards, invading period movie theaters and scouring lanes for ‘ziggurats’ and ‘sunbursts’ with Art Deco lovers from across the globe for the World Congress, we decided to do it all again for our friends in Shanghai and beyond. Can’t make the Weekender? We’ll also be holding a talk on April 27th. Read on for more…
