Chartered Bank Building, Shanghai

The building at No. 18 on the Bund was constructed for the offices of the British Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China, one of the earliest foreign banks to operate in Shanghai.

The site was purchased from the Oriental Bank in 1893. The present building was completed in 1923 and designed by architect Tug Wilson in a Neo-Greek style. Its steel-framed structure rests on two raft foundations: one supporting the main building and the other supporting the rear section used for the treasuries. The bronze lamps decorated with lion heads symbolized British commercial power in the area, while the interiors were clad in Italian marble. Much of the flooring, wall paneling, and ceiling decoration was shipped from England and assembled on site.

After decades of neglect, the building was restored in the early 2000s by Taiwanese developers. The renovation was overseen by Venetian designer Filippo Gabbiani, who added modern facilities while preserving the historic character of the interior. Today, Bund 18 houses high-end boutiques, restaurants, bars, and exhibition spaces, and received a UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Award for conservation in 2006.