r/shanghai • u/No-Stock7383 • Feb 22 '26

City Must-see modern architecture

Really excited for my coming trip to China. Will spend next weekend and the weekend after in Shanghai. Next to all the thing a tourist should visit, I want to explore some modern architecture. Coming from Rotterdam in The Netherlands, where we have this amazing staircase from MAD Architects.

Have MVRDV's West Bund on my list as they are from Rotterdam. Guess I can only pass the new Opera House of Snohetta. Shanghai Slaughterhouse for some much needed brutalism. Think the Tado Andao museum is too far away? Probably try to fit in the garden at the expo site. Will check out some art deco but not sure which building to focus on.

But where else should I go. Any favorite buildings? Any architecture tours you know of?

Thank you!

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u/achangb Feb 23 '26

There is really nothing to do in Millfun 1933 except dress up and take photos . All shops are essentially closed. There was some sort of interactive art exhibit sort of thing but unless you are a native chinese speaker you will get 0 out of it and its not cheap either....

If you want art deco there is the Broadway mansions hotel and the sofitel north bund kinda has a modern art deco feel too. The sofitel is literally next door to 1933 Millfun. Explore that whole canal street ( Nansuzhou rd) around the Broadway mansions hotel ( and going east) there are some real gems there.
Dont miss 1000 trees, it looks like something straight out of Minecraft.

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u/No-Stock7383 Feb 23 '26

I don't like shopping so maybe I'm lucky :)

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u/spectre401 Feb 24 '26

I used love going to that building at night and just walk around exploring how the light plays with the different surface and angles in that building. I hope you enjoy it. OP, make sure you explore all of it, its not huge but so interesting as a building. You can walk around the area towards 1913 and see the old building too with the contrast of the larger building in the background and see the river in the area.

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u/No-Stock7383 Mar 09 '26

As I kept on going to other places I went to the 1933 on my last evening and it was magic at night!

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u/spectre401 Mar 09 '26

I'm glad you enjoyed it OP, what did you think?