Shanghai, a city known for its blend of tradition and modernity, presents a unique architectural tapestry that spans centuries and encapsulates diverse historical periods. You can trace the city’s rich history of development by looking at Shanghai's five sectors, each with its own architectural identity. These sectors include the historic and traditional center, the 19th-century expansion area, the 20th-century city expansion, and the satellite cities popping up since the 1980s. Each sector contributes to Shanghai’s diverse architectural character. The latest chapter in the city’s architectural landscape is the embrace of European architecture that has been spearheaded by the municipal government of Shanghai to create a fresh urban identity for its new satellite towns. This decision resulted in a unique hybrid cityscape that blends European architectural influences with the global city’s dynamism and remnants of the socialist city’s transition to a market-driven economy. The result is a city where skyscrapers provide a backdrop to ancient Buddhist temples and traditional tea houses coexist with global chains like Starbucks. Shanghai's skyline has undergone a remarkable transformation in the past two decades. While there were 150 skyscrapers just 20 years ago, the city now boasts over three thousand and continues to grow. This vertical expansion places Shanghai among the world's cities with the highest buildings, creating a breathtaking urban landscape, but the vertical trend has lost steam and popularity given the shrinking real estate and construction markets, which have deflated architecture’s previous unmatched prowess. Instead, Shanghai has embarked on environmental recovery projects with the motto ‘better city, better life.’ There is a growing focus on developing green spaces and sustainable architecture. This shift reflects a commitment to environmental responsibility and enhancing the quality of urban life. Architects are looking for existing structures and spaces ripe with potential to transform and reuse.