The noisy, bustling city life often dilutes the human connection, as people pass by without truly engaging. The distance between individuals seems to grow wider every day.
Imagine a space that could extend the length of a day, broaden its width, gather neighbors’ laughter, and add vibrant colors to the community.
A place where reading becomes a habit and the library transforms into a sanctuary for the soul.
From traditional libraries and bookstores to modern urban libraries, the essence remains the same: cultural services that carry warmth and depth. As a new form of public cultural space, the “small and beautiful” urban libraries are emerging as a popular trend in refined communities, becoming cultural highlights of city life.
This time, Sanyi was invited to revitalize an abandoned ground-level commercial building on Xingle Road, transforming it into a multifunctional urban library. This new space combines urban living rooms, public welfare bookstores, and boutique coffee shops, boosting the cultural and commercial atmosphere of the area and breathing new life into the neighborhood.
#New Proposal for Hongqiao International Community Life#
△ Realistic view of Minhang City Study Room
Located on Xingle Road in the heart of Huacao Town, Minhang District, Shanghai, this project sits within the core area of the Hongqiao City Sub-center as outlined in Shanghai’s 2035 master plan. Adjacent to the Hongqiao Business District and the Shanghai Convention and Exhibition Center, it is surrounded by numerous mid- to high-end residential communities and near the Shanghai American School.
The 14th Five-Year Plan for the Hongqiao International Open Hub Central Business District aims to promote a new generation of international communities, creating a quality living circle with comprehensive functions and a high-quality, livable, business-friendly environment. However, Xingle Road’s outdated facilities and lack of vibrancy are inconsistent with the vision of Hongqiao as an international fashion district, making an urgent need for renovation clear.
△ Project location
△ Design scope
How can the previously dormant commercial atmosphere of the ground-level shops be reactivated to turn the street into a lively, attractive public space that injects new energy into the neighborhood?
Sanyi’s architects integrated concepts such as “commercial, leisure, openness, community, and affinity” to propose a fresh vision for community life. By introducing urban libraries, they aimed to enrich the block’s value, enhance cultural and commercial vibrancy, create more public leisure spaces, and foster social interactions—forming a new, interactive living space at the urban edge.
Before and after the renovation
Before and after renovation
#Leading the New Paradigm of Block-Based Commercial Renewal#
This pilot regional renewal project aims to create iconic facades through three key strategies: facade upgrades, business format refreshing, and crafting engaging living scenes. By breaking spatial barriers and integrating diverse functions, it offers a tangible experience with multiple possibilities, establishing a sustainable new community public cultural space that sets a new standard for block-based commercial renewal.
Spiritual Station
#01 Soul Station at Your Doorstep
URBAN
RENOVATION
Personalized storefront signs bring vibrancy to the neighborhood.
A book can warm an individual, and a library can warm an entire city. Outside the library is the bustling urban life; inside, quiet readers immerse themselves in knowledge. When reading becomes a habit, the library becomes a soulful haven.
△ The storefront signage concept is inspired by the “Soul Station” theme.
Store signs, as dynamic elements on street fronts and building facades, play a vital role in creating the lively “fireworks atmosphere” of urban streets. The bookstore’s signage design, inspired by the concept of “Soul Station,” presents an urban facade resembling an electrocardiogram, introducing movement and breaking the traditional “static, focused, and rigid” perception of bookstore spaces.
△ Facade model and material usage diagrams
△ Facade scene
The design separates the upper facade with a light gray textured coating and the lower part with natural, anti-corrosion wood, using simulated electrocardiogram lines as a divider to create a “heartbeat” pattern. The design cleverly integrates light strips with material joints, avoiding a monotonous, lengthy facade and significantly enhancing visual recognition. This combination conveys warmth and approachability to passersby.
△ Integration of light strips and material joints
Openable Facade
#02 A New Reading Experience
URBAN
RENOVATION
An openable facade that creates interaction with the street.
As the connection between people and books becomes more distant, this space aims to foster new encounters—between people, and between people and books—offering fresh perspectives on reading. The architect opened up the facade to blur indoor and outdoor boundaries, crafting a relaxed, lively seating area.
△ Seamless flow between indoor and outdoor spaces
The design introduces diagonal lines to reconfigure original window openings, echoing the electrocardiogram motif. Expansive glass windows dissolve the hard boundaries between inside and outside, increasing interaction and visual connection. The window openings, paired with leisure seating, create a warm “city living room” ambience with a “house” shaped outer frame.
△ Diagram of facade window renovation
△ “House”-shaped window outlines and openable facades
By designing an openable facade that interacts with the street, a new, engaging urban living space is created. Whether locals or visitors, everyone can find a place to relax, adding more public leisure spots and social opportunities. This space offers residents a fresh lifestyle centered around reading — a place where they can appreciate the city and pursue inner peace and distant dreams.
△ Creating more public leisure spaces and social opportunities
Composite Space
#03 The Community’s Cultural Hub
URBAN
RENOVATION
A multifunctional cultural and creative space
Urban libraries, as a new platform for national reading, have greatly expanded public cultural service coverage and addressed the “last mile” challenge of public reading. More importantly, they have become warm cultural landmarks within the city.
△ Creating a warm cultural landmark
The Xingle Road City Bookstore uses books as its core medium, incorporating a city living room, cultural and creative spaces, an urban corridor, children’s reading area, private reading zones, and a coffee shop—all thoughtfully arranged to accommodate diverse functions. The color scheme, featuring warm water greens, light beige, and bright orange, harmonizes with the multiple formats and new experiences, forming a comprehensive cultural and artistic space centered on reading. This space is open to residents free of charge.
△ Functional layout
As a new-generation international bookstore, Xingle Road City Bookstore caters to foreign residents and international students in the community. It offers a wide selection of imported and bilingual books and hosts bilingual salons such as the “Advance Reading Club” and “It’s Book O’Clock,” providing readers with diverse cultural activities across various fields.
△ Urban corridor
△ Reading area
△ City living room
Looking ahead, the library plans to invite local and foreign readers to share their reading experiences through reader salons. It will regularly host themed exhibitions covering Shanghai culture, science popularization, fashion trends, and art appreciation, offering citizens knowledgeable, welcoming, and emotionally engaging public spaces and reading services right at their doorstep.
△ Children’s reading area
△ Coffee shop
The Xingle Road City Bookstore’s facade renovation makes full use of idle public spaces within the block, revitalizing existing areas through thoughtful design and reconstruction. By injecting cultural elements, it influences the block’s positioning and leads a new lifestyle. This high-efficiency renovation model promises a bright future for block-based commercial renewal and stands as a driving force for the development of vibrant urban environments.
Minhang City Study at Night
Project Information
Project Name: Facade Renovation of Shanghai Xingle Road City Bookstore
Project Type: Urban Renewal
Location: No. 124-128, Lane 121, Jinfeng Road, Huacao Town, Minhang District, Shanghai
Site Area: 1,200 square meters
Building Area: 520 square meters
Design Period: August 2019 to December 2019
Construction Period: August 2022 to December 2022
Developer: Shanghai Huacao Urban Investment, Construction and Development Co., Ltd
Design and Construction Drawing Firm: Shanghai Sanyi Architectural Design Co., Ltd
Lead Architects: Jia Zhengyang, Lv Jiajun, Zeng Yuqian
Conceptual Design Team: Wang Ying, You Dengyang, Yu Jiayu, Meng Huicong
Construction Drawing Design Manager: Zhu Miaomiao
Architectural Design: Zhu Miaomiao, Meng Yuezhi
Structural Design: Hu Wenxiao
Mechanical and Electrical Design: Chen Xing
Interior Design: Yu Bing, Zhou Yixiang, Zhang Jing, Shen Rui
Construction Partner: Shanghai Pengyi Construction Engineering (Group) Co., Ltd
Architectural Photography: Liu Songkai
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