From the detritus of old factories, dreams rise
By Victoria Fei |
June 29, 2013, Saturday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
A recent wine tasting at an Italian lifestyle club in Dream Valley drew more than 100 people who enjoyed glasses of vino under a beautiful dome filled with oil paintings.
To many of the guests, the setting was reminiscent of a European castle.
In fact, the Italian lifestyle club is among the many developments in Dream Valley, a creative industry park renovated from old chemical factories.
The park, which rises from the framework of 12 dilapidated old factories in the former Wujing Chemical Industrial Zone in the Minhang District, is part of a redevelopment project. Its red buildings remind some people of the China Pavilion at World Expo Shanghai 2010.
Zhang Guorong, party secretary of Wujing Town, said the redevelopment has brought life back to the area.
Indeed, Dream Valley has been at the heart of part of a years-long economic transformation underway in Wujing.
Many fashion and retailing businesses have moved their offices into the revamped area. Local government officials said they want the former chemical industry zone to become the hub of a modern services industry.
The contrast between past and present is stark. In the 1990s, the chemical zone was considered part of modern industrialization. The factories made potassium sulfate, a compound commonly used in agricultural fertilizers. The zone was considered an important player in addressing the high cost of importing the chemical compound from abroad and reducing costs to farmers.
But the pollution from chemical plants proved the zone's undoing. Factory production was halted and moved elsewhere. The factory buildings were abandoned.
In stepped Guanfu Household China, which had built the successful West Hongqiao Creative Park in Qingpu District.
Guanfu began revamping the old chemical zone into a modern creative park, drawing on the talent of Shanghai Jiao Tong University and East China Normal University in Minhang.
Creativity blossomed. Theaters and wine workshops were introduced. Innovation was the new catch-phrase.
Today Dream Valley has an occupancy rate of about 40 percent, but its backers predict it won't be long before the site is fully engaged.
Turning old factory sites into creative parks is nothing new. But the idea has gained impetus as Shanghai tries to instill more culture into its economic development.
"Dream Valley must comply with the reality of development happening around it," said Wang Lei, operations consultant to the park. "We are leading the cultural development along those lines."
He added, "University students, office workers and migrant workers comprise most of the people living in the surrounding area. The park will become a hub for many of their activities."
According to the plan, the park will offer a healthy environment for children of migrant workers to play and study. It's also a place that stresses the importance of volunteerism among university students and white-collar workers.
A coffee shop in Dream Valley is one example of the new community spirit. On April 2, an event celebrating the World Autism Awareness Day was held there, with positive feedback from participants. A donation site for victims of quake-struck areas has also been set up.
The coffee shop itself is a model of positive thinking. A barista working there, surnamed Li, suffered from cerebral palsy in childhood but that didn't prevent him from earning a college degree.
When Li decided to open the coffee shop, charitable organizations in Dream Valley rallied to help him. All the furniture and equipment were donated.
Other attractions
Dream Valley also features an Experience Center, a gathering place for visitors to receive training in volunteerism and to stage charity events.
The center, on two floors, exudes a casual atmosphere, with a circular skylight as its most distinctive feature.
Then there's the Lohas Hall, the wine workshop with the domed top. It was an investment of Collibelli Wines Corp, a company that acquired a chalet and vineyards in Italy's Tuscany region. Each month, the hall hosts special events promoting Italian culture.
Song Mingchen, general manager of Dream Valley, said that large spaces between the old factories make the site ideal for all sorts of innovations, like the popular drive-in theater.
The drive-in operates from 7:30pm to midnight every day. Two large screens air the newest movies.
One of the 12 plants was adapted into badminton courts.
Shi Yuan, a visitor from downtown Shanghai, said it is a place ideal for working, entertainment and living.
"The creative park feels like fun but also involves life," Shi said. "I hope more people can come and discover it."
To many of the guests, the setting was reminiscent of a European castle.
In fact, the Italian lifestyle club is among the many developments in Dream Valley, a creative industry park renovated from old chemical factories.
The park, which rises from the framework of 12 dilapidated old factories in the former Wujing Chemical Industrial Zone in the Minhang District, is part of a redevelopment project. Its red buildings remind some people of the China Pavilion at World Expo Shanghai 2010.
Zhang Guorong, party secretary of Wujing Town, said the redevelopment has brought life back to the area.
Indeed, Dream Valley has been at the heart of part of a years-long economic transformation underway in Wujing.
Many fashion and retailing businesses have moved their offices into the revamped area. Local government officials said they want the former chemical industry zone to become the hub of a modern services industry.
The contrast between past and present is stark. In the 1990s, the chemical zone was considered part of modern industrialization. The factories made potassium sulfate, a compound commonly used in agricultural fertilizers. The zone was considered an important player in addressing the high cost of importing the chemical compound from abroad and reducing costs to farmers.
But the pollution from chemical plants proved the zone's undoing. Factory production was halted and moved elsewhere. The factory buildings were abandoned.
In stepped Guanfu Household China, which had built the successful West Hongqiao Creative Park in Qingpu District.
Guanfu began revamping the old chemical zone into a modern creative park, drawing on the talent of Shanghai Jiao Tong University and East China Normal University in Minhang.
Creativity blossomed. Theaters and wine workshops were introduced. Innovation was the new catch-phrase.
Today Dream Valley has an occupancy rate of about 40 percent, but its backers predict it won't be long before the site is fully engaged.
Turning old factory sites into creative parks is nothing new. But the idea has gained impetus as Shanghai tries to instill more culture into its economic development.
"Dream Valley must comply with the reality of development happening around it," said Wang Lei, operations consultant to the park. "We are leading the cultural development along those lines."
He added, "University students, office workers and migrant workers comprise most of the people living in the surrounding area. The park will become a hub for many of their activities."
According to the plan, the park will offer a healthy environment for children of migrant workers to play and study. It's also a place that stresses the importance of volunteerism among university students and white-collar workers.
A coffee shop in Dream Valley is one example of the new community spirit. On April 2, an event celebrating the World Autism Awareness Day was held there, with positive feedback from participants. A donation site for victims of quake-struck areas has also been set up.
The coffee shop itself is a model of positive thinking. A barista working there, surnamed Li, suffered from cerebral palsy in childhood but that didn't prevent him from earning a college degree.
When Li decided to open the coffee shop, charitable organizations in Dream Valley rallied to help him. All the furniture and equipment were donated.
Other attractions
Dream Valley also features an Experience Center, a gathering place for visitors to receive training in volunteerism and to stage charity events.
The center, on two floors, exudes a casual atmosphere, with a circular skylight as its most distinctive feature.
Then there's the Lohas Hall, the wine workshop with the domed top. It was an investment of Collibelli Wines Corp, a company that acquired a chalet and vineyards in Italy's Tuscany region. Each month, the hall hosts special events promoting Italian culture.
Song Mingchen, general manager of Dream Valley, said that large spaces between the old factories make the site ideal for all sorts of innovations, like the popular drive-in theater.
The drive-in operates from 7:30pm to midnight every day. Two large screens air the newest movies.
One of the 12 plants was adapted into badminton courts.
Shi Yuan, a visitor from downtown Shanghai, said it is a place ideal for working, entertainment and living.
"The creative park feels like fun but also involves life," Shi said. "I hope more people can come and discover it."
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