“Relíquias culturais e patrimônio cultural carregam os genes e linhagem da nação chinesa, e são recursos não renováveis e insubstituíveis da excelente civilização da China.”
As the birthplace of modern industry in China, Yangpu is one of the largest riverside industrial belts in China and has rich industrial heritage resources. In recent years, Yangpu District has actively practiced the important concept of “people’s city”, adhered to the cultural relics work policy of “protection first, rescue first, rational utilization and strengthened management” in the process of promoting the transformation of old industrial urban areas and urban renewal, and promoted the protection and activation and utilization of large-scale industrial heritage. In September 2020, Yangpu District was shortlisted for the first batch of national cultural relics protection and utilization demonstration zones with the theme of “Life Show Belt”, striving to explore a new model of industrial heritage protection and utilization that can be replicated and promoted, promote urban renewal and transformation, and promote the transformation and development of old industrial cities. In March 2021, the State Administration of Cultural Heritage reviewed and approved the “Implementation Plan for the Construction of the Shanghai Yangpu Living Show Belt National Cultural Relics Protection and Utilization Demonstration Zone (2021-2023)”, marking the official launch of the establishment of the Shanghai Yangpu Life Show Belt National Cultural Relics Protection and Utilization Demonstration Zone.
Adhere to protection first and inherit the urban context in an orderly manner
In the process of transformation and development of the old industrial zone, Yangpu adheres to respecting history, culture and urban development laws, comprehensively combs the construction age, housing type, current situation and floor area of buildings more than 50 years old in the district, and protects and preserves more than 200 buildings through style assessment, including 66 industrial relics with a total area of more than 260,000 square meters in the riverside area. Through strengthening protection and repair, the original preservation of historical and cultural heritage will allow people to remember history and homesickness, so as to further strengthen cultural self-confidence and enhance the feelings of home and country.
The first is to continue the historical context, and the red resources keep their original intentions. As one of Shanghai’s modern industrial agglomerations and industrial workers, Yangpu has left a profound historical context and rich red resources in the magnificent revolutionary struggle. The former site of Huangpu Wharf carries forward the ideological connotation and the value of the times of the work-study movement in France, and creates a relief wall of the “Work-Study Movement in France” by creating the exhibition hall of “Initial Intention to Set Sail” to praise the red journey of revolutionaries of the older generation such as Zhou Enlai, Deng Xiaoping, and Nie Rongzhen who sailed far and pursued the truth. The Hudong Workers’ Movement Exhibition Hall was built and opened, connecting visitors with the century-old history of the labor movement in Yangpu through documents, pictures, objects, videos and other historical materials. Set up the “Hudong Workers’ Movement History Propaganda Group” to tell the stories of Yangshupu workers, factories and workers’ movements.
Huangpu Wharf site “original intention set sail” exhibition hall
The second is to innovate protection methods and make clever use of “rust-colored” resources. Adopt the method of combining “repairing the old as old” with urban micro-renewal, properly handle the relationship between industrial heritage protection and municipal construction, old city transformation, ecological conservation, etc., accelerate the screening and rescue of endangered industrial heritage, and preserve and inherit the characteristic elements and cultural genes of industrial civilization. In the process of the breakthrough of the public space in the southern section of Yangpu Riverside, the concept of 5.5 kilometers of continuous industrial heritage expo belt was determined, many historical elements such as the gallery frame of the textile factory and the steel bolt pile were retained or transformed to become the landscape or supporting service facilities of the public space, Yangshupu Water Plant, Yangshupu Power Plant and other cultural relics protection units and their industrial facilities, equipment and technological processes were protected and displayed, and the original wall of Xiangtai Wooden Line was reinforced and transformed through steel structure, integrating the texture of the wood yard and highlighting the display function of wood culture. By vertically dividing the land for roads and public service facilities, the tobacco mechanized warehouse breaks down the barrier between the city and the riverside, so that old buildings can be rescued and preserved.
The third is to strengthen connotation excavation, green sharing and increase vitality. Relying on the key industrial heritage with outstanding value and rich connotation, focusing on the themes of factories, craftsmen and crafts contained in it, focusing on collecting old objects, old brands and old craftsmanship, relying on the platform of Yangpu Riverside People’s Urban Construction Planning Exhibition Hall, focusing on the interpretation and display of industrial heritage values, inheriting people’s emotions and memories of “century-old industry”, and constantly promoting the contemporary value of urban cultural heritage. The original site of Soap Dream Space (Baiqi Cafe) is the sewage treatment workshop of Shanghai Soap Factory, the circular pipe connecting different production pools has been transformed into a passage connecting different spaces of the café, and the translucent membrane roof structure increases the top lighting of the large space, which is not only energy-saving and environmentally friendly, but also creates a space intention of soap bubbles. The ash silo converted from the dry ash storage tank of the Yangshupu Power Plant creates a riverside activity complex with a roaming height. Old memories, new feelings, this style of blending old industrial elements with modern design is very popular among citizens.
Adhere to rational use to help create a better life
With “recreating the style, reshaping the function, and reassigning value” as the main line, the industrial heritage buildings and spaces that record the humanistic and spiritual temperament of the city are preserved and given new functions, so as to continuously expand the new space of cultural life and explore the road of transformation and utilization of industrial heritage with the characteristics of Yangpu District.
Tobacco mechanized warehouse
The first is to “innovate+” to create a “livable and workable community”. Adhere to the combination of scientific and technological innovation and urban renewal, superimpose scientific and technological functions on industrial heritage relics, and promote the complementarity of new industries and old houses. Changyang Chuanggu, which was transformed by the remaining factory buildings of China Textile Machinery Co., Ltd., gathers a number of high-growth enterprises and innovation incubators. Promote the implementation of a large number of old factory building reconstruction projects such as Baowu Iron and Steel “Internet +” Industrial Park and Urban Concept Park, while retaining the historical memory of the old factory, the large space form of the old factory is perfectly integrated with emerging functions and formats such as science and innovation, exhibition, and e-sports, providing a new space carrier for the realization of Yangpu’s science and technology innovation function, and building an innovative and entrepreneurial ecological community suitable for living, working and creating.
The second is “digital +” to create an “immersive experience space”. Use modern scientific and technological means, especially digital technology, to enhance the charm and vitality of industrial heritage, and create a landmark brand and cultural tourism destination in the city. Yangpu Riverside People’s Urban Construction Planning Exhibition Hall displays the history of Yangpu Riverside and the contemporary practice of the concept of “People’s City” with modern scientific and technological means combining virtual and real, and the exhibition hall of “Memory of Yangpu Riverside”, “Story of Time” interactive screen, “Infinity Mirror” display box and other exhibition halls allow visitors to experience historical life through digital means.
The third is “art +” to empower “the masses to experience literature and art”. Integrate industry into mass literary and artistic creation and creative design, cultivate art brand activities, and create a mass art experience place. Relying on the sawtooth industrial building of Yufeng Textile Co., Ltd., the Shanghai International Fashion Center with the theme of clothing and fashion is built, and undertakes international and high-level activities such as the Shanghai International Fashion Culture Festival and the main venue of Shanghai Fashion Week. The former Mao Mao Mao Warehouse site has become the venue of many ministerial and municipal art exhibitions, and has undertaken high-quality exhibitions such as the “100 Years of Hundred Arts, Passing on the Torch – Meeting the Beauty of Creation” Chinese traditional crafts invitation exhibition. After the protective renovation of the warehouse of Minghua Sugar Factory, it undertook cultural performances and art exhibitions such as the 10th International Traditional Art Invitation Exhibition of “Trickle into Flow”, which was activated by fashion. The deep pit space created by the deep pit of Yangshupu Power Plant thermal power generation cooling water through the pump water intake deep pit forms a unique check-in point, and through artistic processing, the gantry tower crane, crane and other industrial facilities have become a bright scenery reflecting the industrial characteristics of Yangpu Riverside.
Focus on optimizing collaboration and jointly promote innovation and development
In order to promote the establishment of the Shanghai Yangpu Life Show Belt National Cultural Relics Protection and Utilization Demonstration Zone and promote the sustainable development of the protection and utilization of industrial heritage, Yangpu has established and improved various systems and measures to continuously enhance the ability of protection and renewal and utilization.
In order to promote the establishment of the Shanghai Yangpu Life Show Belt National Cultural Relics Protection and Utilization Demonstration Zone and promote the sustainable development of the protection and utilization of industrial heritage, Yangpu has established and improved various systems and measures to continuously enhance the ability of protection and renewal and utilization.
A few days ago, the State Council issued the “14th Five-Year Plan for Cultural Relics Protection and Scientific and Technological Innovation”. Shanghai Municipality and Yangpu District will deeply study and implement the deployment requirements of the Plan, solidly promote the establishment of the Shanghai Yangpu Life Show Belt National Cultural Relics Protection and Utilization Demonstration Zone, strive to ensure the completion of the establishment goals during the “14th Five-Year Plan” period, and further expand the demonstration effect of reform and innovation.
(Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Cultural Relics, Shanghai Yangpu District People’s Government)