18 Photos Of Old Shanghai Being Demolished To Make Way For Modernization

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After living for decades in various parts of Asia, Canadian photographer Greg Girard moved to Shanghai, China, at the turn of the 21st century. It was a fortuitous time to move to the city. Shangahi had just begun to change rapidly, as a bustling economy, directive from the central government, and economic reforms spurred major development for the first time in 40 years.

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The city's ornate and seedy buildings began giving way to skyscrapers, residential towers, and squeaky clean development, as residents were forced out of dilapidated homes. Determined to capture the city before it disappeared, Girard began photographing the city's old neighborhoods.

Over the course of eight years, Girard captured the ghosts of Shanghai - the century-old buildings that were demolished and those that remain. In recent years, more of an effort has been made to preserve Shanghai's architectural heritage, though the damage has already been done.

Girard shared a number of photos from his project with us here, but you can see the rest in his book, "Phantom Shanghai," or on his website.