Speaking of Shanghai over the past years, Marshall said that the most impressive change has been the public transportation system. “What I’ve seen is that the public transportation system is constantly being improved. This may sound like a very boring topic, but if a city doesn’t have public transportation, it will choke itself … Shanghai keeps building new subway lines. And everywhere I go in Shanghai, there is a new subway line being built, which is fantastic to get people around.” As the metro network connects people with buildings, the latter become alive.

He compares Shanghai with the Big Apple. “New York City, I can’t remember the last time they built a new subway line. 100 years ago? It’s kind of crazy. It is a city that grows.” Besides that, in this city, new infrastructure like concert halls and parks keep springing up. “So there is this entrepreneurial spirit in China of why not build it, let’s build something new, let’s look at the future rather than the past. So I think Shanghai as a city is leading the world in how to do a proper city.” Therefore, the city itself is looking to the future.