The image of high-rise buildings sitting on an isolated island has become the desired format for new urban developments in Chinese cities. This thesis proposes a new kind of city, that by freeing the ground plane of traffic and commerce, permits the realization of urban qualities unexpected in the current metropolis.

In the time of new media technologies, culture has undergone a radical transformation that has yet to be reflected in the realities of the city. The proposal, based on an existing site in the Hongkou district of Shanghai, assumes current urban trends in urban circulation, demography, and density. By reimagining the movements and uses of the contemporary city this thesis envisions a possible new urban reality.