Apartment in Shanghai Summit Panorama

Compound
Although Summit Panorama is located in the very core of a city with 25 million people, the compound’s management team has attempted to create the impossible – a community. If not for the Shanghai Tower and the Shanghai World Financial Center (“the bottle opener”) jetting up in the distant skyline, you would never know that you were anywhere else but just your quintessential local neighborhood, albeit one with fantastic landscaping.

And their landscaping truly does shine. Because while an abundance of ‘green spaces’ are very much in vogue these days, Summit Panorama has set a new standard by placing a full-fledged park in its center. Its meandering walkways are perfect for a morning stroll. The pond-side benches are blissfully serene. And an expansive greenery gives children (and their pets!) plenty of room to run and play, as do the playgrounds and terraces.

Signs are everywhere encouraging residents to look out for each other, respect the seven NOs (i.e. a list of commonplace rules such as “no littering”), and support learning. But what really stands out is the emphasis on health. Signs are discreetly tucking in the grass, telling residents how many steps they’ve walked if they started at a certain point. Outdoor exercise machines – many of them cleverly placed to give the user a feeling of privacy – are dotted everywhere and even come with instructions. The buildings surrounding the park include three 33-storey buildings and three 10 to 14-storey buildings, all of which were completed in early 2003. With the park in the center and the Lujiazui towers in the skyline, the views are panoramic and stunning. Members have access to a full range of amenities, including an onsite clubhouse and fitness center.

Neighborhood
The tree-lined streets that encircle the compound are surprisingly tranquil, given their proximity to Lujiazui, the purported “Wall Street of Shanghai”. Lujiazui isn’t for everyone; the 30-plus skyscrapers place it firmly in the realm of “concrete jungle” in the minds of some would-be residents. However, occupancy rates are still high, and why wouldn’t they be? For many expats, the chance to live in the iconic, high-energy area of Lujiazui, with its stunning views and endless amenities (for adults and children alike), is an unbeatable opportunity.

Two metro stops are within walking distance: Line 9 Shangcheng Road station (10 min.) and Line 2 Dongchang Road station (15 min.). Line 2, in particular, connects directly to a number of key stations: Hongqiao Railway Station, Hongqiao Airport, Jing’an Temple, People’s Square, East Nanjing Road, and Pudong Airport.

Lujiazui itself is just 10 minutes by car or 25 minutes by metro. The closeness of Lujiazui is especially convenient as it’s a center for museums, galleries, restaurants, shops, 5-star hotels, fitness and health centers, salons, spas, and more. For further out locations, including those in Puxi, it’s easy to connect to one of the major expressways, bridges, or tunnels.