Five High-Rises Set to Transform North Bund Skyline

Five skyscrapers are rising simultaneously in Hongkou District's North Bund – all within the boundaries of what will become Shanghai's first car-free zone in the city center.

The tallest tower, at 480 meters, has surpassed the 200m mark and is expected to reach 300 meters by the end of this year. On completion, it will become the tallest building west of the Huangpu River.

Three additional towers in the cluster will also exceed 200 meters. A newly approved 249m tower will integrate corporate headquarters, hotel and commercial space, and high-end residential units within a single structure – creating a vertical mix that officials assert is unprecedented in China.

A separate 249m structure, known as Shanghai China Central Place, completed its underground foundation slab in May.

A 230m research and office tower has completed its planning review.

The fifth tower is projected to reach 180 meters. It has cleared the ground level and is expected to exceed 100 meters this year.

Yang Mingqi, deputy director of Hongkou's planning authority, said that the newly approved 249m tower is intended to keep the area vibrant around the clock.

"We aim to have offices, services, and residents all within the same building, ensuring the area remains active 24 hours a day," he explained.

"This type of vertical mix is the first of its kind in China."

Car-free zone

All five towers sit within a car-free zone taking shape across six city blocks. Vehicles will travel underground while pedestrians and cyclists use the surface.

The zone moved a step closer to reality on June 21 when the Tangshan Road exit ramp of the Xinjian Road Tunnel was closed. The ramp will be moved to a new position on Dongyuhang Road.

Moving the ramp clears the last barrier to the continuous walking and cycling area of 220,000 square meters – roughly 31 football pitches – bounded by Gongping, Xinjian, Dongchangzhi, and Dongyuhang roads.

An underground passage linking Raffles City, Bund and AIA Financial Center is expected to be structurally complete this year.

"The five landmarks are sketching out the future skyline of the North Bund, layer by layer," said Chen Qiongchan, executive deputy director of the North Bund Development Office.

The North Bund's ambitions go beyond its skyline. The district already serves as the core hub for China's shipping industry, hosting over 4,600 shipping agencies.

The district accounts for 70 percent of Shanghai's total shipping capacity and 80 percent of its water transport turnover.

Furthermore, more than 90 percent of the city's maritime exports undergo customs clearance in this area.

The North Bund sits on the western bank of the Huangpu River between the historic Bund waterfront and the Lujiazui financial hub in Pudong.