HomeDiagramsDatabaseMapsForum About
     

Go Back   SkyscraperPage Forum > Photography Forums > My City Photos


Reply

 
Thread Tools Display Modes
     
     
     
     
  #1  
Old Posted Jan 4, 2016, 4:26 AM
giallo's Avatar
giallo giallo is offline
be nice to the crackheads
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Vancouver
Posts: 11,458
Shanghai: The Former French Concession (ongoing)

I've been a resident of the Former French Concession (FFC) neighbourhood for over 3 years, and since moving here, I've gained a massive amount of respect for my surroundings. It's an oasis deep inside an ever-expanding grey monolith. An almost unbroken mirror in to Shanghai's colonial past. The fact that it still exists at all is due to the dedication of passionate locals that have fought hard to have many of the buildings obtain a protective heritage status, and the marketplace that values the area, and is willing to pay the (relative) high price to work, shop or live here. Without these two reasons, I believe the FFC would only live on in black and white photos.

Rather than put this with my other Shanghai photo thread, I decided to give it an ongoing, dedicated spot where people can come, and view pictures about the FFC, and the FFC only. The Former French Concession is large. It spans three districts, and can't possibly be covered properly in a couple photo walks.

So let's begin.

This thread has been a long time coming. I wanted to start it last spring, but seeing as this thread will focus more on the architecture and urban realm of the neighbourhood, it makes much more sense to do it in the winter. The Former French Concession's streets are lined with century-old maples planted by the French, and with only around 15 feet or so between each tree, it becomes almost impossible to shoot the buildings. The tree canopy's leaves are too thick to be able to take detailed photos of the surroundings. The streets are a beautiful sight in the summer, it's just not the best season to shoot the FFC's built environment.


We'll start with a satellite photo of Shanghai, and the FFC's placement (roughly) within it.

fc aerial new by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr


Zoomed in.

fc new by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr


This day's walkabout (right to left and down).

Starting on Anfu Rd., walking down Wukang Rd., and ending on Huaihai Rd.

french concession space 3 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr


Anfu Rd. is a small, residential street with a decent mix of restaurants, cafes and clothing shops. Some of the old houses have been fitted for offices and retail.

fc 1 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 2 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 3 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 4 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 5 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 6 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 7 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 39 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



Walking south on Wukang Rd.

fc 8 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 9 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 10 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 11 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 12 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 13 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 14 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 15 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 16 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 17 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 18 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 19 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 20 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 21 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 22 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 23 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 24 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 25 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 26 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 27 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 28 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 29 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 35 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 36 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 37 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 30 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 31 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 33 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 34 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 38 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr


If you have any questions about the FFC or any of the images, feel free to ask. I'm by no means an expert on the area, but I'll do my best.


Next up: The coziness of Shaanxi Rd.

Last edited by giallo; Jan 7, 2016 at 1:58 AM.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #2  
Old Posted Jan 4, 2016, 7:13 AM
kool maudit's Avatar
kool maudit kool maudit is offline
video et taceo
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Stockholm
Posts: 13,867
This is a wonderful photo series and neighbourhood. Thanks for sharing.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #3  
Old Posted Jan 4, 2016, 1:18 PM
SignalHillHiker's Avatar
SignalHillHiker SignalHillHiker is online now
I ♣ Baby Seals
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Sin Jaaawnz, Newf'nland
Posts: 34,658
Looks beautiful! Can't wait to see more.
__________________
Note to self: "The plural of anecdote is not evidence."
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #4  
Old Posted Jan 4, 2016, 2:32 PM
Kilgore Trout's Avatar
Kilgore Trout Kilgore Trout is offline
菠蘿油
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: hong kong / montreal
Posts: 6,131
Nicely done. I'm curious, do local people still refer to the area as the old French Concession or is this limited to foreigners/expats?
__________________
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #5  
Old Posted Jan 4, 2016, 3:15 PM
giallo's Avatar
giallo giallo is offline
be nice to the crackheads
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Vancouver
Posts: 11,458
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kilgore Trout View Post
Nicely done. I'm curious, do local people still refer to the area as the old French Concession or is this limited to foreigners/expats?
It's referred to as the Former French Concession by Shanghainese as well.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #6  
Old Posted Jan 4, 2016, 4:58 PM
Coldrsx's Avatar
Coldrsx Coldrsx is offline
Community Guy
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Canmore, AB
Posts: 66,662
Thanks for the tour hombre, twas an amazing place to explore.
__________________
"The destructive effects of automobiles are much less a cause than a symptom of our incompetence at city building" - Jane Jacobs 1961ish

Wake me up when I can see skyscrapers
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #7  
Old Posted Jan 4, 2016, 11:50 PM
Nightsky's Avatar
Nightsky Nightsky is offline
Illustrator, editor
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Malmö
Posts: 3,690
Nice area. It looks indeed western.
__________________
Website about my travels in USA and Europe:
http://www.worldtravelimages.net

All my diagram drawings - more than 700!:
http://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?14670510
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #8  
Old Posted Jan 5, 2016, 12:51 AM
boulevardofdef boulevardofdef is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 73
We always hear about how polluted major Chinese cities are, but in your photos, the air looks pretty good (though it's cloudy). Is this typical, or were you shooting on a particularly clear day?
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #9  
Old Posted Jan 7, 2016, 4:23 AM
The Chemist's Avatar
The Chemist The Chemist is offline
恭喜发财!
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: 中国上海/Shanghai
Posts: 8,883
Quote:
Originally Posted by boulevardofdef View Post
We always hear about how polluted major Chinese cities are, but in your photos, the air looks pretty good (though it's cloudy). Is this typical, or were you shooting on a particularly clear day?
Shanghai isn't far enough north to really experience much of the terrible pollution that happens in the places where they need to burn coal to keep warm. It's still bad enough during the winter most (but not all) days, but not nearly as bad as it is in the North/Northeast.

Great photos as usual, Andrew. I love the French Concession even though it's far too rich for my tastes to actually live there.
__________________
"Nothing is too wonderful to be true, if it be consistent with the laws of nature." - Michael Faraday (1791-1867)
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #10  
Old Posted Jan 5, 2016, 5:16 AM
fflint's Avatar
fflint fflint is offline
Triptastic Gen X Snoozer
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 22,207
Fascinating and eclectic--it looks unlike any place I have ever been. If I were only allowed to travel to one city in Asia, I would pick Shanghai.
__________________
"You need both a public and a private position." --Hillary Clinton, speaking behind closed doors to the National Multi-Family Housing Council, 2013
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #11  
Old Posted Dec 19, 2016, 6:42 PM
ozone's Avatar
ozone ozone is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Sacramento California
Posts: 2,270
Nice pictures. Captures the look.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #12  
Old Posted Dec 19, 2016, 6:44 PM
ozone's Avatar
ozone ozone is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Sacramento California
Posts: 2,270
Quote:
Originally Posted by fflint View Post
Fascinating and eclectic--it looks unlike any place I have ever been. If I were only allowed to travel to one city in Asia, I would pick Shanghai.
Well I have traveled quite a bit throughout Asia and even lived in Bangkok for a few years. Shanghai to me is a rather soulless place. Indeed China as a whole is my least favorite country in Asia (among those I've been to). It looks good in pictures though.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #13  
Old Posted Jan 6, 2016, 12:19 AM
giallo's Avatar
giallo giallo is offline
be nice to the crackheads
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Vancouver
Posts: 11,458
Quote:
Originally Posted by boulevardofdef View Post
We always hear about how polluted major Chinese cities are, but in your photos, the air looks pretty good (though it's cloudy). Is this typical, or were you shooting on a particularly clear day?
Shanghai's air is bad in the winter. We do get a bunch of clear days from December to March, but it's definitely the worst season for air quality.


Over-looking a portion of the FFC from my apartment on a cold winter's day yesterday.


Looking southwest.

ffc winter 1 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr


Looking southeast.

ffc winter 2 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr

Last edited by giallo; Jan 6, 2016 at 2:29 AM.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #14  
Old Posted Jan 6, 2016, 3:12 AM
volguus zildrohar's Avatar
volguus zildrohar volguus zildrohar is offline
I Couldn't Tell Anyone
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: The City Of Philadelphia
Posts: 15,988
Not the typical expectation for a Chinese city in terms of architecture. I look forward to the future offerings.
__________________
je suis phillytrax sur FLICKR, y'all
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #15  
Old Posted Jan 6, 2016, 3:20 AM
Beedok Beedok is offline
Exiled Hamiltonian Gal
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 6,801
Some cool stuff, other bits look rather average (mostly the single home set ups).
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #16  
Old Posted Jan 6, 2016, 4:02 AM
LSyd's Avatar
LSyd LSyd is offline
Red October standing by
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Columbia/Sumter, SC
Posts: 16,913
thanks for the pics; the build of some of the mansions under the tree covers reminds me of some of the older, denser streetcar suburbs in the US, in particular Charleston, Savannah, Houston, Austin. hopefully as those cities fill in they'll look this nice and active.

-
__________________
"The vapors! The fainting couch! Those heartless elitists are burning down the plantation with their logic and arithmetic!"

-fflint
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #17  
Old Posted Jan 7, 2016, 2:30 AM
giallo's Avatar
giallo giallo is offline
be nice to the crackheads
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Vancouver
Posts: 11,458
I was planning on following up the first set of Anfu Rd. and Wukang Rd. with Shaanxi Rd., but I had a meeting in Xujaihui the other day (which is just at the very southwestern edge of the FFC), and decided to walk home, and take pictures of a street I've never explored before.

This is Kangping Rd. A four block, mostly residential, and very low-key street deep within the FFC. It's like a different world compared to Xuijiahui - one of Shanghai's busiest and densest areas - only two blocks away.

fc 40 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 41 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 42 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 43 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 44 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 45 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 46 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 47 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 48 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 49 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 50 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 51 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 52 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 53 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 54 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 55 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 56 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 57 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 58 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 59 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 60 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 61 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 62 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 63 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 64 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 65 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 66 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 67 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 68 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 69 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 70 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 71 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 72 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 73 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 74 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 75 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



fc 76 by Andrew Rochfort, on Flickr



Next time, it will definitely be Shaanxi Rd.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #18  
Old Posted Jan 7, 2016, 6:18 AM
mrnyc mrnyc is offline
cle/west village/shaolin
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 11,586
what an interesting shanghai surprize - great thread style too - thanks!
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #19  
Old Posted Jan 7, 2016, 2:54 PM
Coldrsx's Avatar
Coldrsx Coldrsx is offline
Community Guy
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Canmore, AB
Posts: 66,662
Damn

__________________
"The destructive effects of automobiles are much less a cause than a symptom of our incompetence at city building" - Jane Jacobs 1961ish

Wake me up when I can see skyscrapers
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #20  
Old Posted Jan 7, 2016, 7:02 PM
maru2501's Avatar
maru2501 maru2501 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: chicago
Posts: 1,668
fantastic. Thanks for all that effort

THIS is why many of us fell in love with this site. Or at least for me...

keep going. Fascinating city.
Reply With Quote
     
     
This discussion thread continues

Use the page links to the lower-right to go to the next page for additional posts
 
 
Reply

Go Back   SkyscraperPage Forum > Photography Forums > My City Photos
Forum Jump


Thread Tools
Display Modes

Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 8:16 AM.

     
SkyscraperPage.com - Archive - Privacy Statement - Top

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.