Fascinating changes in 25 yrs as Scottish photographer revisits Binhai New Area

It was also fascinating to visit the Binhai New Area Administrative Examination and Approval Bureau. Looking back at how slow bureaucracy could appear in earlier days, this was certainly a step into the future. High-tech, everything in one place, well-staffed and often bilingual it was designed to fast-track business and individual applications. It was indeed really interesting to walk around its two main floors.

A major boost for the area has been the recent opening of The Juilliard School for Performing Arts. Originally founded 1905 in New York, Juilliard is regarded as a true world leader in its sphere of both education and performance. The stunning architecture enhances the riverside landscape, as does the nearby Intercontinental Hotel.

Architectural photography is one of the attractions drawing me to Yujiapu with another such example being the nearby Binhai Railway Station.  An integrated traffic hub, it opened in 2015. Although mostly deep underground, the roof, viewed from the outside, appears as a tear-drop shaped dome surrounded by parklands. Its building design has generated considerable praise. The station provides direct high-speed rail connections with both downtown Tianjin and Beijing.

Binhai Cultural Centre is another ‘must-visit’ architectural wonder located in the midst of the New Area north of the railway station. Every time I enter its vast main hall I stand for a few moments looking around while trying to take in the sheer scale of the complex. It actually contains within one great structure five cultural buildings designed separately by architects from China, Europe and North America. The masterplan for the entire site is the work of Architects von Gerkan, Marg and Partners (gmp).

Stretching 300 meters north to south, the main concourse is roofed over by 30 meter high inverted umbrella-like structures supported by 26 individual steel columns. A main attraction within the centre, again attracting considerable international attention, is the 34,200 square meter Binhai Library, incorporating an abundance of high-tech study, research and interactive facilities. Its central atrium, built around a spherical theatre space, was  created to resemble lines of book shelves rising in circles towards the ceiling. Regarded as one of the most fascinating and unique libraries in China it attracts hordes of photographers, artists and architectural enthusiasts.