Few cities in the world have transformed from dilapidated and polluted to bustling modern metropolises in just a few decades the way Shanghai has. Now one of the main international economic, finance and trade centers on the western Pacific, Shanghai's urban development is part of an on-going process of domestic political and economic reform, rapid urbanization and globalization.

Shanghai: from dragon head to city of innovation addresses the speed and strategy of this transformation, and the influence of urban policy from the west. This book analyses three decades of development through major projects like the Pudong New Area, the Huangpu Riverbank Redevelopment, the regeneration of traditional neighbourhood Xintiandi, and the World Expo in 2010. With the daunting question of the future of the city and whether such a rapid development path is sustainable, the book examines Shanghai's coping methods for political dynamics, power struggles, economic uncertainty and lack of resources.

An essential read for scholars of Chinese urban studies and practitioners of urban planning in China, author Yawei Chen uncovers the drives, ambitions, strategies and struggles of Shanghai's development into a modern metropolis.