Urban renewal 3.0: How Shanghai turns heritage into consumption |Shanghai 2035

by ZHOU Fangying

Shanghai's historic neighborhoods are no longer being renewed simply to preserve old buildings. Increasingly, they are becoming active urban districts where architecture, culture, brands and public life come together to create new experiences.

In the "Shanghai 2035: Answers for the Future" fashion and consumption session, speakers at the roundtable pointed to Shanghai's shift from simple restoration toward content-driven urban operation. In places such as Zhangyuan, Xintiandi and the West Bund, historic buildings and former industrial sites are being transformed into mixed-use spaces for retail, events, public life and new brand experiences.

James Macdonald of Savills noted that successful global consumer cities are often built on mixed-use, human-scale neighborhoods. Their appeal comes from organic street life rather than overplanned commercial districts. Shanghai, he argued, is now moving toward more refined and experimental forms of urban renewal.

Li Zhenhui of Shui On Xintiandi pointed to Xintiandi and Panlong Tiandi as examples of how historic texture can be preserved while modern lifestyle content is added. But he also noted that more open policies and better connections between blocks are essential if old buildings are to become active commercial ecosystems.

Professor ZHU Dajian, director of the Institute of Sustainable Development and Management at Tongji University, framed the challenge as putting "new wine in old bottles." For him, restoration is only the first step. The real test is whether Shanghai can tell the most contemporary stories inside its oldest spaces.

At Zhangyuan, Cao Xintian described how Shikumen architecture, traditional crafts and contemporary retail can coexist. Sandriver's flagship store, for example, brings Tibetan weaving, Suzhou embroidery and other craft traditions into a restored Shanghai heritage setting, creating a contemporary retail space layered with regional craftsmanship.

The result is a new understanding of heritage. In Shanghai, old buildings are no longer just nostalgic backdrops. When paired with the right mix of culture, commerce and public life, they become platforms for retail innovation and urban identity.

Editor's note: "Shanghai 2035: Answers for the Future" is a multimedia series produced by the Shanghai Municipal Government Information Office and Jiemian News. The project explores the city's long-term development across key sectors through documentaries, expert roundtables and interviews. The fashion and consumption chapter examines how Shanghai is reshaping urban consumption through culture, community and experiential retail.