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Creative planning bears fruitin Chaijiawu Village
December 5, 2011, Monday
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ITALIAN Stefano Campioni is a furniture designer who has been working in Chaijiawu Village, Hangzhou, since 2009. He says he likes the countryside's tranquil atmosphere and the fact that it's not too far from the city.
There are more than 200 young people like Campioni who work in creative fields.
Most of these companies are located in renovated houses once owned by farmers. The local government renovated the houses, but kept the original shape. A panel of experts from the China Academy of Art, hired by the local government, designed the facades for the offices, which now have an avant-garde look.
Chaijiawu is representative of Baima (White Horse) Lake Creative Park in Binjiang District, which is a 30-minute drive from downtown Hangzhou. The park, where renovations have been ongoing since 2008, is destined to become an area for businesses in the creative field to congregate.
So far, some 200 cottages in the park have been renovated. By the end of the year over 500 houses in other villages in the park are to be converted into offices.
Many local farmers moved to nearby towns and now rent their houses to companies. Rentals can range from 100,000 yuan (US$15,700) to 150,000 yuan per year. Some of the farmers also find work as janitors in park.
Although the town is not considered a tourism destination, the natural landscape coupled with modern atmosphere makes the place interesting. Also, the views are popular among couples taking wedding photos.
Thirty-nine companies have already moved to Chaijiawu including an art studio attached to Netease.com and a design company attached to the China Academy of Art, the country's leading art college.
It also helps that the government is subsidizing companies. Each company can receive up to 100,000 yuan in subsidized rent annually for the first three years.
Collectivo Designetwork Company from Italy set up a design studio in Chaijiawu two years ago. Chai Xiaodong, the company's designer, says they were attracted by its SOHO (small office/home office) style.
"There are many lofts in the city, but only one SOHO that offers a comfortable home-like working environment that also boasts blue hills and green streams, which inspire designers," he says.
As many companies in the village are design and advertising companies, their offices are decorated ingeniously.
Baile Investment Company has the national flags of China, Germany and Estonia outside its office, symbolizing the company has hired people from the three countries.
Standing at the company's gate is a robot made of machine parts.
Du Pengcheng, deputy director of Baile Investment, says there has been a big change in the village in the past few years.
"When we started business at Chaijiawu three years ago, the town houses were shabby looking and there were few companies, but today people sense the town's fashion everywhere," he says.
To facilitate the development of the park and attract more enterprises, Binjiang District government widened roads and added more parking spaces.
There are more than 200 young people like Campioni who work in creative fields.
Most of these companies are located in renovated houses once owned by farmers. The local government renovated the houses, but kept the original shape. A panel of experts from the China Academy of Art, hired by the local government, designed the facades for the offices, which now have an avant-garde look.
Chaijiawu is representative of Baima (White Horse) Lake Creative Park in Binjiang District, which is a 30-minute drive from downtown Hangzhou. The park, where renovations have been ongoing since 2008, is destined to become an area for businesses in the creative field to congregate.
So far, some 200 cottages in the park have been renovated. By the end of the year over 500 houses in other villages in the park are to be converted into offices.
Many local farmers moved to nearby towns and now rent their houses to companies. Rentals can range from 100,000 yuan (US$15,700) to 150,000 yuan per year. Some of the farmers also find work as janitors in park.
Although the town is not considered a tourism destination, the natural landscape coupled with modern atmosphere makes the place interesting. Also, the views are popular among couples taking wedding photos.
Thirty-nine companies have already moved to Chaijiawu including an art studio attached to Netease.com and a design company attached to the China Academy of Art, the country's leading art college.
It also helps that the government is subsidizing companies. Each company can receive up to 100,000 yuan in subsidized rent annually for the first three years.
Collectivo Designetwork Company from Italy set up a design studio in Chaijiawu two years ago. Chai Xiaodong, the company's designer, says they were attracted by its SOHO (small office/home office) style.
"There are many lofts in the city, but only one SOHO that offers a comfortable home-like working environment that also boasts blue hills and green streams, which inspire designers," he says.
As many companies in the village are design and advertising companies, their offices are decorated ingeniously.
Baile Investment Company has the national flags of China, Germany and Estonia outside its office, symbolizing the company has hired people from the three countries.
Standing at the company's gate is a robot made of machine parts.
Du Pengcheng, deputy director of Baile Investment, says there has been a big change in the village in the past few years.
"When we started business at Chaijiawu three years ago, the town houses were shabby looking and there were few companies, but today people sense the town's fashion everywhere," he says.
To facilitate the development of the park and attract more enterprises, Binjiang District government widened roads and added more parking spaces.
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