Israel, a doctor from Guinea Bissau who wanted to have an internship experience in a Chinese hospital, has visited the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center.

Last Sunday we spent our morning at the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center. For us this fieldtrip was a good chance to discover the past, the present and the future of the development of the urban planning of Shanghai. It’s 5 floors above ground and 2 floors underground gave us a good idea about how Shanghai went from being a small fishing village to a major world metropolis.

On the second floor we observed many historical photos and old maps: we could understand how Nanjing Lu or the area of Pudong were some years ago. There are several models of some of Shanghai's oldest buildings and bridges.
We spent a lot of time in the third floor: there is a huge 1:200 scale model of the city as it is now. It covers 800 square meters and shows all existing and approved buildings. We walked around the model before going up to a gallery running around it for views from above. Next to the model there is a spherical room: on the round walls of the room was projected a 360degree movie taking us around the city.
The fourth floor offers displays on proposed forms of future transportation, including the maglev, the subway and light-rail trains that are going to grow in the coming years. In 2020 the subway system will comprise 22 lines!

Whether you’re a fan of big cities, an architect or just passing through Shanghai, this is a must-do as the model of Shanghai will definitely get a big WOW out of you!