A new lease of life for beers and barns in Songjiang
The culture and innovation park in Songjiang District comprises 59 old buildings.
A view of the culture and innovation park.
The beer museum inside the culture and innovation park.
Former factories and barns built between the 1950s and 1990s in Songjiang District have been given a new lease of life by becoming museums and art galleries, the district government announced on Monday.
A 40,000-square-meter culture and innovation park on Songjin Highway which hosts the 59 buildings has opened to the public free of charge, the government said.
The buildings used to accommodate the Songjiang rice mill, Songjiang flour mill, Nanmen grain plant and Songjiang feed mill, among others, and they represent the memories of a generation, the government said.
The red tiles, black bricks and mottled walls of the buildings have been preserved during renovation.
The park comprises areas that include beer culture, art displays, and science and technology innovation.
"We hope to rejuvenate these old buildings and display their culture, history and architectural value," said Jin Xuhui, head of the park. "The goal is to turn the park into a new cultural and tourism landmark of Songjiang."
A beer museum in the park, the largest of its kind in Shanghai, will display the brewing process, the evolution and development of beer, and the materials and equipment required.
About 60,000 bottles of beer from all over the world in more than 10,000 types will be on display at the 1,200-square-meter museum.
"Visitors will be able to find famous craft beers from across the globe here," said Jin.
"Some red wine and champagne will also be exhibited and the catering area at the museum will serve delicacies such as seafood," said Jin.
One area of the park will comprise art galleries and studios.
A science and technology innovation area will feature calligraphy and paintings by academicians of Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering, their work stations, their documentation and reference center and a memorial hall for the Nobel Prize in Natural Science.
A cafe, a culture and innovation bazaar, sports venues such as a soccer field and basketball court, and a water platform are also part of the park, which will also have a hotel where outdoor films will be screened.
A graffiti wall, art installations and a QR code audio guide will also feature.
The culture and innovation park is open to the public free of charge.
The interior of one of the renovated buildings at the park.
