If you’ve been to Shanghai, you must know the Bund. But did you know that what is now known as No. 3 The Bund was actually No. 4 before?
That’s a long story. Let me tell you from the beginning.
It was completed in 1916, designed by George Wilson — his first project in Shanghai. Not a bad start, right? He went on to design some of the Bund’s biggest names, including No. 12, No. 13, and No. 20.
The building is in the Free Renaissance style, and it was Shanghai’s first steel-frame structure. The Far Eastern Review called it “one of the most noteworthy architectural advances of the time.”
This site goes back to 1860, when Adamson, Bell & Co. built a three-story brick house there. Then, two insurance companies bought it. In 1914, they tore it down and hired Palmer & Turner to build this one. When it opened in 1916, it was called the Union Building — named after the insurance companies that jointly funded it.
In 1937, the Mercantile Bank (known in Chinese as 有利银行) bought the building and renamed it — which is why people started calling it the “Youli Building” (有利大楼).
Now here’s the twist: the actual address is No. 4 Zhongshan Dong Yi Road. But in the early 2000s, Michael Graves led a restoration, and when it reopened in 2004, it was rebranded as “Three on the Bund” — or No. 3. The new name signaled a shift from bank to lifestyle hub — art, dining, fashion.
Call it No. 3 or No. 4 — either way, it’s a Bund highlight. And if you get a chance, check out the terrace bar — great views, great vibe.