perspectives a sense of place Park Hyatt Shanghai Some cities can be perceived as desirably noisy, and Shanghai fi ts that description. It's vibrancy and frenetic pace are exhilarating. Its hodgepodge of European and Chinese historical architectural gems set within a modern skyscraping landscape is phenomenal and very photogenic. It is a diffi cult city to get to know quickly, but embedded deep in it is a multicultural playground with historical panache. Shanghai nights can be unforgett able. Working again in collaboration with developer Mori Building 1 and with Hyatt as the operator, our intent was to create a tranquil rest note in the glorious, cacophonous symphony that is Shanghai. The Shanghai World Financial Center was designed to be the tallest building in the world (and held that title for a short time) and the Park Hyatt occupies the top fl oors. It sits on the comparatively sleepy (at the time) Pudong side of the majestic Huangpu River, but with a commanding view of the Puxi side skyline. The reduced pace of the wide tree-lined boulevards at the building's base prefaced the arrival to this sanctuary in the city. 2