Completed in 1916, No. 1 The Bund sits right at the southern end of the waterfront. It’s widely known as the Asia Building.
Just a year before it was finished, the Yangjingbang Creek — the waterway that separated the French Concession from the British Settlement — still flowed past its south side. It was filled in to become Avenue Edward VII, which later evolved into today’s East Yan’an Road.
Architecturally, it’s a masterpiece of Eclecticism. It has the formal symmetry of Neoclassicism, but is adorned with rich Baroque details — like the swirling carvings above the entrance and the grand Ionic columns. Back in the day, it served as the headquarters for the Asiatic Petroleum Company — a subsidiary of Shell and one of the major British oil firms in the region.
Later, it housed various local institutions, such as the Shanghai Metallurgical Design & Research Institute and the Shanghai Silk Company, before being carefully restored in recent years.
Today, it has been beautifully transformed into the Jiushi International Art Center — the perfect place to experience the rich layers of Shanghai’s modern history, making it a must-see on any Bund visit.