The Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower

1. Introduction

The Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower, abbreviated as "The Oriental Pearl," is located at No. 1 Century Avenue, Lujiazui, Pudong New District, Shanghai. Situated on the bank of the Huangpu River, it stands against the backdrop of the modern architectural cluster in the Lujiazui area and complements the historical architecture of the Bund across the river. Construction began on July 30, 1991, and it was completed and put into use on October 1, 1994. It is one of Shanghai's landmark buildings, integrating multiple functions including urban sightseeing, fashionable dining, shopping and entertainment, historical exhibitions, Huangpu River cruises, exhibition performances, and radio and television transmission. As of 2019, it is the sixth tallest tower in Asia and the ninth tallest in the world. The main structure of the Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower is a multi-tube design, consisting of three inclined supports, three columns, a square, a tower base, a lower sphere, five small spheres, an upper sphere, a space capsule, and a transmission antenna mast. The total height is 468 meters, with a total floor area of 100,000 square meters. In 1995, the Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower was named one of Shanghai's Top Ten New Landscapes. In 1999, it received the First Prize for Excellent Survey and Design in Shanghai and the China Civil Engineering Zhan Tianyou Award. On May 8, 2007, it was approved by the National Tourism Administration of the People's Republic of China as a National AAAAA-level Tourist Attraction.

2. Historical Development

On August 25, 1983, the Shanghai Broadcasting Bureau outlined the basic situation of Shanghai's radio and television industry and the details of the existing TV transmission tower's inability to handle the load in a report, proposing for the first time the idea of building a new TV tower. On November 17 of the same year, in the "Shanghai Radio and Television Development Plan for the Sixth and Seventh Five-Year Plans and the Vision for the Next Decade," it clearly proposed the concept of "building a TV and FM transmission tower of about 400 meters during the Seventh Five-Year Plan period," with the "site preliminarily considered to be in Lujiazui Pudong Park or nearby." On March 25, 1984, the Shanghai Municipal Government Work Report delivered at the Second Session of the Eighth Shanghai People's Congress formally proposed that Shanghai would build a new TV transmission tower. In 1984, the Shanghai Foreign Economic Relations and Trade Commission approved the proposal for a Sino-foreign cooperative venture to build and operate a 400-meter radio and television tower. After repeated surveys and studies, the site for the new TV tower was selected in the area along the river in Lujiazui, Pudong, extending to Pudong Park. On August 23, 1984, the Shanghai Radio and Television Bureau formally submitted the "Opinions on the Site Selection for the 400-meter TV Transmission Tower." In October 1986, the project proposal for the TV transmission tower was completed and submitted to the State Planning Commission, with the initial building height set at 450 meters. In January 1987, the State Planning Commission approved the project, agreeing to include the tower construction project in Shanghai's "'94 Special Project." In January 1988, the Shanghai Radio and Television Bureau submitted a feasibility report for building the new radio and television tower. On July 30, 1991, the Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower officially held its groundbreaking ceremony and began construction. On December 14, 1993, the 350-meter three-dimensional structure of the Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower was topped out. On May 1, 1994, the steel antenna mast of the Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower was installed in place. On October 1, 1994, the Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower was officially completed, with the decoration of the ground floor lobby finished, and the sightseeing facilities and main lighting system put into operation. On May 1, 1995, the Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower began transmission and officially opened to the public. In 2004, the Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower underwent energy-saving technological renovation of its lighting equipment, replacing old light sources with LEDs. On April 13, 2010, the antenna of the Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower was struck by lightning, causing a fire at the top, which was later repaired. In November 2012, the renovation and upgrade project for the Space Hall of the Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower officially commenced. In September 2013, the Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower underwent facade renovation, with a repainting area of 23,000 square meters. On September 29, 2024, the Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower welcomed its 100 millionth visitor—Peter Bauer from Germany.

3. Architectural Layout

3.1 Overview

The main structure of the Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower is a multi-tube design, consisting of three inclined supports, three columns, a square, a tower base, a lower sphere, five small spheres, an upper sphere, a space capsule, and a transmission antenna mast. The main structure height is 350 meters, the total height is 468 meters, and the total floor area is 100,000 square meters.

3.1.1 Tower Base

The main tower base of the Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower has a diameter of 158.4 meters and consists of three floors. The central part has a diameter of 60 meters and serves as the tower's lobby and elevator hall.

3.1.2 Tower Body

The Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower features three spherical structures: lower, upper, and top. The lower sphere is a prestressed concrete shell with a diameter of 50 meters and a center elevation of 93 meters. It has four floors, housing facilities such as an indoor amusement park and a lower sphere power distribution room. The upper sphere is a suspended structure with a diameter of 45 meters and a center elevation of 272.5 meters. It has nine floors, including a public equipment floor, FM equipment room, cooling equipment floor, transmission room, aerial KTV rooms, revolving restaurant, observation deck, microwave equipment room, and upper sphere power distribution room. The top sphere is the Space Hall, with a center elevation of 342 meters and a diameter of 16 meters. It has four floors: an elevator equipment room, conference hall, sightseeing floor, and pipeline floor. The three vertical tubes of the Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower are connected by five beams, forming five small spheres, each with a diameter of about 12 meters, designed as high-altitude hotels.

3.2 Design Concept

The designers imaginatively strung eleven spheres of varying sizes and heights from the azure sky down to the green grass, resembling two giant rubies from a distance, sparkling and dazzling, depicting a dreamlike picture of "large and small pearls falling on a jade plate." The Oriental Pearl Tower consists of three inclined supports, three nine-meter-diameter sky-piercing columns, a square, a tower base, a lower sphere, five small spheres, an upper sphere, a space capsule, and a transmission antenna mast. At night, viewed from afar, the Oriental Pearl is colorful and radiant; ascending the tower to overlook Shanghai at night reveals a dazzling and breathtaking scene of flowing lights and colors.

3.3 Construction Techniques

The Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower uses the circular form favored by Eastern cultures as its basic architectural line, showcasing distinct Shanghai-style architectural characteristics and unifying modern technology with Eastern culture. During construction, many innovative construction techniques were creatively employed, such as deep foundation construction at 20 meters underground, construction of the 350-meter-high vertical tube, construction of the 93-meter-high inclined tube, tensioning of 307-meter-long vertical prestressed steel strands, pumping of concrete to 350 meters, control of vertical deviation of the tower body, high vertical transport and lifting, hoisting and installation of steel structure spheres, and installation of the 450-ton steel antenna mast in place. The tower body of the Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower adopted an integrated automatic lifting steel platform system with an inner tube and outer hanging. The installation of the 450-ton steel antenna mast used a reverse assembly method and a one-time overall lifting construction plan. The synchronous control technology and hydraulic lifting process are internationally advanced.

3.4 Lighting System

The artistic lighting system of the Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower was designed by a French lighting designer and consists of floodlighting and artistic lighting. The artistic lighting part has seven basic display modes, including left-right movement, flashing, gradual brightening and dimming, horizontal opening and closing sequences, up-down movement, vertical opening and closing sequences, and mixed display sequences. The lighting can be personalized, presenting three-color and multi-color effects, with over 1,000 variations under computer control.

4. Main Attractions

4.1 Old Shanghai No. 8 Restaurant

At 0M of the Oriental Pearl Tower, the taste of Shanghai deep in the shade beneath the Pearl Tower. Old Shanghai No. 8 Restaurant is located beneath the Oriental Pearl Tower, deep in the shade of Pudong Park. It is a continuation of the cultural symbols of the Shanghai Urban History Development Exhibition Hall inside the Oriental Pearl Tower. The restaurant features a large banquet hall accommodating 23 tables, a multifunctional hall for 6 tables, and seven private rooms, each with a view. Leveraging the environmental advantages of Pudong Park, the restaurant provides a comfortable and pleasant dining environment. Surrounded by blooming flowers, shaded by green trees, and encircled by a small river, it creates a delightful scene. The restaurant primarily serves local Shanghai cuisine as well as dishes from various regions across China. It can host large and medium-sized conferences such as academic exchanges and training sessions, as well as various gatherings and banquets including wedding banquets, birthday celebrations, housewarming parties, graduation feasts, teacher appreciation dinners, birthday parties, and company annual meetings.

4.2 Fully Transparent Suspended Sightseeing Corridor

This is a fully transparent glass walkway where visitors can experience the thrill and excitement of walking at high altitude. The sightseeing corridor is located within the second main sphere, at a height of 259 meters, with a circumference of 150 meters and a width of 2.15 meters. Visitors can overlook the panoramic view of both banks of the Huangpu River through the transparent glass beneath their feet.

4.3 Main Observation Deck

The main observation deck of the Oriental Pearl Tower is located in the second sphere, at a height of 263 meters. Visitors can enjoy a 360-degree panoramic view of the entire Shanghai city area, including the bustling Bund and the beautiful scenery on both sides of the Huangpu River. This level is one of the best spots to view the panoramic scenery of Shanghai, especially at night, when the dazzling lights and nightscape can be admired.### 4.4 Revolving Restaurant The renowned Oriental Pearl Tower Revolving Restaurant, located in the 267-meter-high upper sphere of the Shanghai Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower, is the highest revolving restaurant in Asia. With an operating area of 1,500 square meters, it can accommodate 350 guests simultaneously. It stands proudly at the pinnacle of Shanghai, thanks to its unparalleled scenic advantages, exceptional culinary culture, and warm, hospitable service. At night, the brilliantly lit city of Shanghai becomes even more dazzling and breathtaking, with twinkling stars and shimmering neon lights outlining the incomparable nightscape of the Huangpu River. Friendly and warm service is a distinctive feature of the Revolving Restaurant. The hostesses and waitstaff, elegantly dressed and providing standardized service, embody the graceful charm of the Oriental Pearl Tower. Through the spacious and bright floor-to-ceiling glass windows, the beautiful scenery of the Huangpu River is fully visible. Looking down from a height of 267 meters, one truly experiences the heroic feeling of "ascending the mountain's crest, dwarfing all peaks under one's feet." Designed to rotate once every two hours, it offers a full 360-degree panoramic view of Shanghai's towering skyscrapers, crisscrossing avenues, long-spanning bridges, and bustling traffic.

4.5 Historical Exhibition Hall

The Shanghai Urban History Development Exhibition Hall is located in the base of the Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower. Through more than 80 scenic spots across exhibition areas such as "Old Town Scenes," "Glimpses of the Port Opening," "The International Settlement," "Traces of Old Shanghai," "Architecture Exhibition," and "Chronicles of Vehicles and Horses," along with hundreds of precious historical artifacts, over a hundred scaled-down historical buildings, 117 highly realistic wax figures, and thousands of small wax figures and clay figurines, it reflects the development process of Shanghai's urban history.

4.6 Space Capsule

Located at a height of 351 meters, this is the highest and smallest sphere on the Oriental Pearl Tower. It offers space shows and experiences exploring the mysteries of the universe. Guided by China's aerospace culture, it creates the country's first high-altitude "aerospace + cultural tourism" project.

5. Value and Significance

The Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower has the capability to broadcast 9 TV channels and 10 FM radio programs, covering the entire Shanghai area and regions within an 80-kilometer radius of neighboring provinces, thereby improving the reception quality for nearby areas. Simultaneously, the Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower was the first key project following the development and opening of Pudong. Backed by the modern architectural complex of the Lujiazui area and complementing the Bund's historic architectural gallery across the river, it showcases the magnificent scenery of an international metropolis. Integrating functions such as urban sightseeing, fashionable dining, shopping and entertainment, historical exhibitions, Huangpu River tours, and exhibition performances, it has become one of Shanghai's iconic landmarks and a popular tourist attraction, recognized as one of the first national 5A-level tourist scenic spots. To understand Shanghai, start with the Oriental Pearl.