Greater Shanghai Plan

The Greater Shanghai Plan was an urban development scheme initiated in the 1920s that proposed establishing a major administrative center in the Jiangwan district. The project centered on creating modern infrastructure with wide roads and government buildings arranged in a radiating pattern to serve different parts of the city.

The scheme was launched by the Nationalist Government of China in 1927 to reshape Shanghai as a modern administrative city. Japanese occupation beginning in 1937 interrupted implementation and the project stalled.

Architect Dong Dayou incorporated traditional Ming Dynasty elements from the Forbidden City into the Town Hall design of the Greater Shanghai Plan.

Visitors can explore parts of the planned roadways and some completed government structures in the Jiangwan district today. The best time to visit is during drier months when weather conditions are favorable for exploring the area.

The design for the administrative building drew from traditional elements of the Forbidden City, showing how Eastern and Western planning principles were blended. This fusion of styles was remarkable for an ambitious infrastructure project of that era.

Location: Shanghai

GPS coordinates: 31.23070,121.47400

Latest update: December 9, 2025 18:49