Xintiandi (,

Shanghainese The Shanghainese language, also known as the Shanghai dialect, or Hu language, is a variety of Wu Chinese spoken in the central districts of the City of Shanghai and its surrounding areas. It is classified as part of the Sino-Tibetan langua ...

: ''Shinthidi'' lit. "New Heaven and Earth",Warr, Anne: ''Shanghai Architecture'', The Watermark Press, 2007, fig. "New World") is an affluent car-free shopping, eating and entertainment district of

Shanghai Shanghai (; , , Standard Chinese, Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four Direct-administered municipalities of China, direct-administered municipalities of the China, People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the ...

. Xintiandi now refers to the wider area centered around Madang Road which includes both pedestrian-only and motor traffic roads.

Overview

The district is composed of an area of reconstituted traditional mid-19th century

shikumen Shikumen (, Shanghainese: ''zaq⁸ khu¹ men⁶,'' IPA: ᴀʔ¹¹ kʰu¹¹ mən²⁴ is a traditional Shanghainese architectural style combining Western and Chinese elements that first appeared in the 1860s. At the height of their popularity ...

("stone gate") houses on narrow alleys, some adjoining houses which now serve as book stores, cafes and restaurants, and shopping malls. Most of the cafes and restaurants feature both indoor and outdoor seating. Xintiandi has an active nightlife on weekdays as well as weekends, though romantic settings are more common than loud music and dance places. It is considered one of the first

lifestyle center A lifestyle center (American English), or lifestyle centre (Commonwealth English), is a shopping center or mixed-used commercial development that combines the traditional retail functions of a shopping mall with leisure amenities oriented toward ...

s in China. It is also the most expensive place to live in China, with some apartments costing more than Tokyo, Singapore, New York and London. It is generally home to the Chinese elites and top executive expats or immigrants. Xintiandi is the location of the site of the first congress of the

Chinese Communist Party The Chinese Communist Party (CCP), officially the Communist Party of China (CPC), is the founding and sole ruling party of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Under the leadership of Mao Zedong, the CCP emerged victorious in the Chinese Ci ...

, which is now preserved at the Museum of the First National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party. Also nearby are the Shikumen Open House Museum and the site of the

Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea The Korean Provisional Government (KPG), formally the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea, was a partially recognized Korean government-in-exile based in Shanghai, China, and later in Chongqing, during the period of Japanese co ...

when Korea was a Japanese colony. Xintiandi gem

Redevelopment

The area was developed by

Shui On Land Shui On Land Limited () is the flagship property company of the Hong Kong-based Shui On Group. It is engaged in developing large-scale city-core development projects and integrated residential development projects in major cities in China, inclu ...

during the re-development of the surrounding area. Some houses in Xintiandi were then renovated in order to implant an art gallery, cafes, and restaurants. Many tour groups both domestic and from abroad also visit Xintiandi as one of the main attractions in Shanghai. The Xintiandi redevelopment was also collaborated with global architecture firm

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) is an American architectural, urban planning and engineering firm. It was founded in 1936 by Louis Skidmore and Nathaniel A. Owings, Nathaniel Owings in Chicago, Illinois. In 1939, they were joined by engineer Jo ...

, including with

Benjamin T. Wood Benjamin T. Wood is an American architect who designed Shanghai's famous Xintiandi, which means “New Heaven and Earth,” a refined cluster of traditionally styled Shanghai brick town houses near the old French Concession district. Wood flew ...

and

Nikken Sekkei Nikken Sekkei (日建設計) is an architectural, planning and engineering firm from Japan, with headquarters in Chiyoda, Tokyo. Today (2019), Nikken Sekkei ranks as the second largest architectural practice in the world. Staff and Offices As o ...

International. The urban renewal is considered one of the first examples of the

placemaking Placemaking is a multi-faceted approach to the planning, design and management of public spaces. Placemaking capitalizes on a local community's assets, inspiration, and potential, with the intention of creating public spaces that improve urban v ...

approach in China.Our Man in Shanghai: Ben Wood Takes On History
/ref>) This construction displaced 3,500 Shanghainese families.
/ref>

Transportation

The closest

Shanghai Metro The Shanghai Metro (; Shanghainese: ''Zaon6he5 Di6thiq7'') is a rapid transit system in Shanghai, operating urban and suburban transit services to 14 of its 16 municipal districts and to Kunshan, Jiangsu Province. Served as a part of Shang ...

stations in the vicinity are South Huangpi Road Station (on Line 1), Xintiandi Station (on Line 10 and Line 13) and Madang Road Station (on Line 9 and Line 13).

References

External links

www.shanghaixintiandi.com

Xintiandi redevelopment

{{coord, 31.22260, N, 121.47010, E, type:landmark_region:CN-31_source:placeopedia, display=title Neighbourhoods of Shanghai Tourist attractions in Shanghai Landmarks in Shanghai Entertainment districts in China Pedestrian malls in China Huangpu District, Shanghai

Overview

Redevelopment

Transportation

See also

References

External links