Urban Renewal: Blending Art, Commerce, and Space for Harmonious Growth

The rapid growth of the street vendor economy has revived many nostalgic memories throughout the city. Streets and squares have once again transformed into vibrant hubs of life and activity. Recently, the inaugural “Shanghai Nightlife Festival” captivated the entire city, with the South Bund Old Wharf in Huangpu District hosting the themed “Old Wharf Carnival” event. This market embraced a “buy local” philosophy, showcasing independent designers, soulful artists, instrument craftsmen, and independent musicians. It also featured family-friendly experiences with young “life artists,” immersive performance art enhanced by spontaneous scenes and intimate interactions, alongside artistic light and shadow displays powered by modern technology.

These adrenaline-charged elements combine to create an incredibly appealing atmosphere. Whether or not you care about the venue, the transformation of a previously overlooked city corner into a lively, illuminated space has deepened some people’s affection for the city’s vibrant colors.

Before the trend of outdoor stalls emerged, there was already a thread connecting the places we visited and the paths we walked, expressed through thematic maps: buildings and landscapes infused with artistic elements, continually evolving art exhibitions and markets brimming with possibilities, and even installations or sculptures placed in public spaces. Art has quietly become an essential and integral part of public life, linking the urban spaces we cherish.

In recent years, Sanyi has contributed to the design of several urban renewal projects across Shanghai: 1. Shanghai Old Wharf; 2. Micro-renovation of Water Facilities; 3. New Link Zone; 4. Jing’an Qicai Li; 5. Yuyuan Public Market; 6. Hengshan Fang; 7. Hongqiao Jinchen Art Center; 8. Xingle Road, Huacao Town; 9. Yongsheng Village, Jiading; 10. Anting Old Street.

From conceptual public spaces to tangible realities, art transcends the traditional confines of museums and galleries. In fostering broader community engagement, it acts as the adhesive propelling the modernization of urban spaces.

Enhancing public spaces encourages residents to participate and share, thanks to art’s approachable yet distinct character. Meanwhile, commercial spaces evolve from conventional retail into experiential consumption environments, making artistic interventions crucial for brand enhancement and traffic growth. The art space itself is transitioning from mere display to interaction and ultimately to a symbiotic relationship.

Art Space 1.0 — Display

Interface Display
Shanghai Old Wharf Water House Micro Update

Shuishe is situated in the newly developed old pier area on Shanghai’s South Bund. This boutique design hotel was transformed from a 1930s factory building. To meet operational demands, an additional boiler room of approximately 70 square meters was proposed.

Though modest and unassuming, this auxiliary structure offers a rare urban interface and location advantage. While fulfilling the boiler room’s functional needs, the design carefully integrates the original façade’s color scheme and textures, reinforcing the Water House’s brand identity. New cultural and creative display windows were added, along with small pop-up spaces, injecting vibrancy into the Pujiang River streetfront and creating inviting spots for visitors.

Project Name: Shanghai Old Wharf Water House Micro Update
Location: Maojiayuan Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai
Developer: Shanghai Hongji Group Co., Ltd
Designer: San Yi China
Floor Area: 70㎡
Expected Completion: September 2020

Space Display
Shanghai Hongqiao Jinchenghui Art Center

Located in Shanghai’s Hongqiao Business District, the Hongqiao Jinchenghui Art Center aims to be an international cultural exchange and aesthetic hub, blending architecture, interior design, and landscape within the existing Jinchenghui complex.

The center houses coffee shops, art stores, cultural education and training halls, and exhibition spaces, mainly centered around the Chen Yiming Art Museum on the ground and basement floors.

This project involved opening the underground atrium skylight of the original complex and partially renovating the space to create a landscape display building. Despite limited site conditions, the design team maximized the potential by adding a lightweight hanging spiral staircase beneath the skylight, forming an iconic spatial feature.

Flexible exhibition layouts, multifunctional spaces, distinctive entrance areas, and artistic pedestrian experiences combine to position this center as a benchmark for international art venues.

Project Name: Shanghai Hongqiao Jinchenghui Art Center
Location: No. 9 Shenhong Road, Minhang District, Shanghai
Developer: Shanghai Zhaode Real Estate Co., Ltd
Designer: San Yi China
Floor Area: 2871㎡
Expected Completion: August 2020

System Display
Shanghai Xinlian Zone

The renovated site of the former Shanghai Medical Equipment Factory gained momentum through the “Future is Coming” CAIP Cross-border Art Science Fiction Theme Exhibition during the May Day holiday this year.

Hosted by the China Arts and Crafts Industry Collaborative Integration Platform, this exhibit took place at Building 4 in the Xinlian District. Combining art and new media installations, it merged technology, art, and interactivity to open multidimensional doors to the future through the artists’ visions.

The architect designed an artistic performance space shaped like a cocoon in the park’s central square – a humanistic theater. Constructed from over 20 horizontal steel units connected with vertical supports, this structure serves as a dynamic display platform for the park.

Photography: Ziran Architecture Photography

This industrial transformation project not only includes a humanistic theater as an artistic platform but also conceptualizes a comprehensive art display system from the start. The semi-urban “Hyde Corner,” formed by geometric volumes at the entrance, the soft membrane structure dubbed “Sail Acceleration” inside the park, the “Cloud Corridor” above the inner courtyard, and the semi-open U-shaped “Zhonghui Hall” collectively establish an artistic foundation beyond the building spaces, creating an integrated display system for the New Link Zone.

Photography: Ziran Architecture Photography

Project Name: Shanghai New Link Zone
Location: 430 Linqing Road, Yangpu District, Shanghai
Developer: Shanghai Shengpan Enterprise Management Co., Ltd
Designer: San Yi China
Floor Area: 37,935㎡

Art Space 2.0 — Interaction

Connecting with Historical Culture
Anting Old Street, Shanghai

Anting Old Street in Jiading, Shanghai, is a historic and iconic tourist district marked by a river, bridge, temple, and tower, which together embody the area’s charm. However, its Ming and Qing architectural imitation style had lost appeal, prompting a new renovation phase.

During renovation, architects incorporated local artistic elements and fostered interaction with historical culture. They abstracted the street style by extracting and reorganizing existing elements according to building types and functions. Iconic ginkgo trees were integrated as symbolic elements throughout the block’s image-building projects, strengthening Anting Old Street’s cultural brand. Key nodes like the Old Street Bookstore and Temporary Exhibition Center employ large transparent French windows, infusing vitality into the area.

Project Name: Anting Old Street, Shanghai
Location: Jiading District, Shanghai
Developer: Shanghai Anting Cultural Tourism Development Co., Ltd
Designer: San Yi China
Floor Area: 8000㎡
Expected Completion: National Day 2020

Connecting with Brand Technology
Renovation of Xingle Road, Huacao Town, Shanghai

Xingle Road in Huacao Town, Minhang District, Shanghai, lies close to Hongqiao Business District and Shanghai Convention and Exhibition Center, surrounded by affluent villas and international schools. Due to its aging and lackluster state, the street requires renewal to become a high-quality international fashion district serving the surrounding high-end community.

In the Xingle Road International Block Renewal Project, a new Rainbow Cloud IP was embedded, permeating the entire block.