Just when you thought that Shanghai could not possibly become more architecturally state of the art, a company comes up with a trump card.

Picture a 68-story building in the shape of the bud of the city's floral emblem, the magnolia. Add to that a Broadway-style theater, an international hospital, an exhibition center and the only international school in the downtown area.

But wait, there's more.

The new will meet the old at ground level where shikumen, or stone-gate houses, will line traditional alleyways that will also incorporate fashion stores, museums and cafes.

Shui On Land Ltd developed the city's Xintiandi with the same old-meets-new theme. The 68-story project will be Xintiandi's sister ... Xintiandi's very big sister.

The Hong Kong-listed Shui On plans to complete Xintiandi II in the Taiping Lake area in the next seven to 10 years, directly opposite its smaller namesake.

The new skyscraper will stand near the business area of Xizang Road M. and construction is expected to begin before the end of the year, Shui On says.

The stone-gate alleys along Dongtai Road will be restored to their original splendor and incorporate antique stores and small museums, according to Shui On officials.

The 52-hectare project to rebuild the Taiping Lake area is expected to become part of a secondary central business district. Two six-star hotels - the Jumeirah and the Conrad - are already earmarked to be opened in the area in November.

Shui On also unveiled a new wishing fountain in the northern part of Xintiandi over the weekend.

The fountain, designed by Chinese-Dutch sculptress Wu Jingru, features images of three traditional Chinese gods "Fu," "Lu" and "Shou" - signifying luck, fortune and health.

Wu said the three bronze sculptures, each more than two meters tall, are a fusion of traditional Chinese beliefs and a Western fountain.

(Shanghai Daily June 23, 2008)