As a re-creation born out of the sprawls of Shikumen housing, which is the
architectural symbol of Shanghai in the 20th century, Shanghai Xintiandi, “The
City’s Living-Room' is a place to unwind and relax after a long day. A window to
the past and the future, to China and the world.Shanghai Xintiandi's Shikumen
attraction was created by converting residential blocks into a multifunctional
dining, retail and entertainment center flowing with restaurants, boutiques,
cafes and bars of an international standard. The Shikumen buildings within
Shanghai Xintiandi retain the antique walls, tiles and exterior of the Shikumen
housing of old Shanghai, while the internal spaces have been designed and
decorated to suit the up tempo lifestyle of the 21st century urbanites, with
infinite details that exude the casual elegance of modern city living. Shanghai
Xintiandi is where 'yesterday meets tomorrow in Shanghai today.'
Before the development of Shanghai Xintiandi, the area it encompasses had
been a spread of aged lanes crowded with mid-19th century Shikumen buildings
which had witnessed the vicissitudes of time. The Shikumen style was a
combination of influences from home and abroad, showcasing Shanghai's culture of
that era. With the city's drive toward progress and modernity, Shikumen, as a
form of residential design, began to fall out of favor, prompting some experts
to predict that by the 21st century Shikumen style houing would altogether
disappear.
Initially, the Shanghai Xintiandi project met fierce criticism due to many
people's misunderstanding of its innovative nature and early difficulties
associated with the project. Thanks to the determination of the management of
Shui On Group -- the principal investor of Shanghai Xintiandi -- the project
came to its full realization in mid 2001, and soon after became the focus of
Shanghai's international dining, fashion, entertainment and tourist
community.
What makes Shanghai Xintiandi a winning concept? Many cities around the
world have their own landmark architecture set in old districts that were
renovated into famous tourist spots. Mr Vincent H S Lo, chairman of the Shui On
Group, believed that Shanghai in the 21st century would become an important
international metropolis. Shanghai Xintiandi provided an answer for preserving
the old architecture of Shanghai that would be representative of its historical
and cultural heritage. The Shui On Group raised the new idea of Shikumen
conversion as early as in 1997: To abandon the residential function of Shikumen,
and promote its role as a business district, turning the centennial antique
quarter into a world full of vitality, vigor and cultural prestige. Breaking
ground in 1999, the entire project had an expected budget of US$150 million. The
first stage, Xintiandi Plaza, was completed in late 2001.
Today, Xintiandi Plaza has already become a new Shanghai landmark.
Containing 30,000 square metres and with a gross floor area of 60,000 square
metres, the blocks of Shikumen buildings, with their preserved original walls
and tiles, give tourists a unique feel of walking the bustling Shanghai streets
of the 1920s and 30s. Inside every building-which may house a stylish
international gallery, a trendy haute boutique, a theme restaurant, a
fashionable cafe or a bar-everything is designed to keep pace with an exciting,
modern lifestyle that is becoming vastly synonymous with the city of Shanghai.
The marvelous Shikumen courtyard outside and the gleaming modernity inside
strike a curious but charming contrast, shuttling customers between the past and
the present. What's more, the assortment of street performances, the exciting
promotions and first-rate events place Shanghai Xintiandi at the top of
Shanghai's places to be, with its urban vitality and celebration of life.
Shanghai Xintiandi has rewritten the history of Shikumen, salvaging it from
decay and revitalizing it with a new modernity. Today Shanghai Xintiandi has
become the place of choice for local people, visitors from the mainland, and
tourists from abroad who long to sample this glorious city's past and its
dramatic metamorphosis into a metropolis booming with international promise.
Xintiandi Plaza is divided into the North and South Blocks. In the South
Block, modern architecture is the motif while Shikumen is an accompaniment. In
the north, preserved Shikumen set a nostalgic tone, forming a splendid contrast
with the modernity to the south. A shopping, entertainment and leisure complex
of 25,000 square metres in the South Block opened in mid 2002. In this modern
structure full of glass screens, a flurry of businesses thrive. Aside from a
series of international restaurants representing the flavors of the world, there
are classy boutiques, accessory shops and a movie theater. In the North Block,
antique buildings with their modern interior design, decorations and equipment
play host to a dazzling array of restaurants specializing in French, American,
German, British, Brazilian, Italian, Japanese, Taiwanese and Hong Kong cuisine,
putting on display the full international dimension of Shanghai Xintiandi. The
dividing line between the two blocks, Xingye Road, is the site of the First
Congress Hall of the Chinese Communist Party. Its fellow Shikumen buildings
along the sides of the street are set to become part of the scenery embodying
the cultural and artistic features of the city.
The neighboring Taipingqiao Lake and Park are also built into Shanghai
Xintiandi. The expansive park covers 44,000 square metres and is located at the
centre of the project. Inside the park are tall trees and low-lying greenery,
affording visitors a serene resting place. The lake is the largest man-made lake
in downtown Shanghai, covering 12,000 square metres. At the center of the lake
are a set of impressive fountains and two little islets dotting the surface. The
islets are named Magnolia and Unison. The terrace surrounding the lake runs up
and down, strewn with trees and bushes. A path 1,200 metres long to the north of
the greenery cuts a beautiful curve on the lake, leading to the Shikumen
compounds of Shanghai Xintiandi, adding to the already impressive sight of the
city's new favorite landmark.
When people walk into the lanes of Shikumen buildings in Shanghai
Xintiandi, they walk on the same gray flagstones and see the same red and black
bricks, lacquered doors and Baroque doorframes as those who walked there
generations and generations before them. Shanghai Xintiandi visitors will feel
as if they are time traveling back half a century, though once they step into a
Shikumen building, the sight of the new is sure to astound them. The air of
international cuisines, the eclectic offerings among shops and boutiques, the
endless first-rate service and the sublime beauty attached to every modern and
historical detail of the compound, all reflect the dynamic fashion and character
of Shanghai Xintiandi.
The Shui On group has orchestrated a splendid symphony of Shanghai's past,
present and future. Here, visitors from home and abroad can truly enjoy the
culture of Shanghai to their hearts' content.