An urban retreat with hallmarks of watertown
Shanghai Panlong Tiandi, which reimagines an ancient Jiangnan (regions south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River) watertown as a modern urban retreat and is the newest cultural landmark in the Yangtze River Delta region, was officially unveiled to the public on Saturday.
Developed by Shui On Group, a leading urban solutions provider, the renewal program in Qingpu District has turned the town into a "Jiangnan paradise."
With a history dating back more than 1,000 years to the Sui Dynasty, Panlong Town is one of 32 historical protected zones in Shanghai.
The project, with a total floor area of more than 500,000 square meters, comprises 230,000-square-meter public green areas, which include six themed areas, a 3-kilometer circular trail, and outdoor sports venues, as well as retail, dining and shopping facilities.
There is a basketball court, a baseball sports park and a pet-friendly park. Cruise tours and hanfu (traditional Han-style clothes) parades will be held.
Construction of the project started in 2019 with river courses dredged and bridges rebuilt. Green and recyclable materials like old stones and tiles were used.
Panlong Tiandi has preserved the town's water system and bridge culture, as well as the its unique cross-street pattern.
It also recreated historical sites to revive Jiangnan heritage.
"Many architecture and bridges in the town were worn out when we first came here, and the development team carefully studied the history and culture behind each building and bridge before the project started," said Xie Ming, general manager of the Shanghai West Hongqiao Business Development Co Ltd.
Public exhibitions through the art program of the Yuz Museum and Art in Green will be held in the town.
Panlong Tiandi creates an urban retreat where the traditional hallmarks of a Jiangnan watertown are intertwined with modern life, providing a dynamic new showpiece for Jiangnan and establishing a new landmark in the Hongqiao Central Business District.
One of the first suburban village renovation projects completed and unveiled in Shanghai, Panlong Tiandi will also serve as a new lifestyle and commercial model in the Yangtze River Delta Integration Demonstration Zone.
Panlong Tiandi has welcomed 140 brands, covering a wide range of areas such as cultural experiences, outdoor sports, home design, quality life, and Chinese and Western cuisine.
Nearly 20 companies' first stores in Shanghai and more than 60 brands' regional first stores will be located here, with some being first stores in China and special-concept shops.
The second Shanghai Green Consumption Festival and Double Five Shopping Festival of Yangtze River Delta Demonstration Zone kicked off in the town on Saturday.
Panlong Tiandi, Xintiandi's rural reinterpretation, integrates its deep cultural heritage with arts, leisure and entertainment facilities, composing a new lifestyle for residents in Shanghai and the Yangtze River Delta region.