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Experts fret over Wukang Road
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ASWUKANG Road becomes increasingly popular some scholars are worried it will become overly commercialized, attract too many tourists and lose its identity as an historic street.
“It was originally a residential neighborhood early last century. So all I wanted was to improve the living environment for the locals and let them continue living a peaceful life,” says Tongji University professor Sha Yongjie, chief designer for the Wukang Road regeneration project. “I didn’t expect the road to become a scenic spot where falling leaves are not swept away in order to attract tourists.”
American architectural historian Carolyn Robertson, a Wukang Road resident and author of the Wukang Road chapter of an upcoming walking tour book, says she has similar concerns.
“Since I went to the US in July and now just returned a few new places have opened and one big concern for me is the use of overly bright lighting on Wukang Road,” says the scholar who had served on the Princeton Historic Commission to oversee applications for development in Princeton’s local historic districts.
She notes that 370 Wukang Road and a real estate office with bright lights across the road destroy the street’s character.
“I love the ambience on Wukang Road, especially in the neighborhood with locals,” she says. “But I’m worried that if there isn’t control of lights and noise and commercial licenses, the street will become a commercial zone and not have the same character of a historical street.”
She suggests the local government consider looking at the example of Princeton, where everything such as putting up a new sign has to be reviewed by a committee made up of architects, historians and locals.
“If you look at Princeton’s ordinances for historical preservation, which are not against development, you will notice they are about promoting development compatible with the character and atmosphere of a historical street.” Robertson adds.
“Wukang Road is beautiful and rich in history but it would help if non-residential uses such as too many cafes, bright lights and noisy bars can be limited or controlled. I just don’t want to come back in 10 years and see the whole street filled with expensive shops and no locals,” she says.
Robertson is also concerned about the compatibility of new structures and demolishing incompatible “modern” structures such as the tall tiled building at the corner of Wukang and Hunan roads.
French restaurateur Franck Pecol, who has opened seven shops along Wukang Road since 2007 including the popular Farine bakery, isn’t worried and says he has faith in the future of Wukang Road.
“Wukang Road will become an even hotter street in the next five or 10 years,” he says. “It will keep this feel because this road is very unique and attracts people from all over Shanghai.”
After checking an exhibition about Shanghai in Paris, Pecol visited the city in April 2004 and fell in love with Wukang Road at first sight while riding a bicycle around the former French Concession.
“I could feel the potential of the street and liked it very much because it’s a short, residential, quiet and peaceful street with trees and architectural heritage,” he says. “I find this place a strong contrast with developed districts, very conservative, with low-level houses and no high-rises. I like the street very much. That’s why I have been here for 11 years.”
He believes it was just the place for a bakery.
“I believe a good bakery and coffee shop bring life to a neighborhood. It’s more like the base you go to everyday for no reason, just for coffee, a piece of bread or croissant. It’s a spot to meet friends, to date somebody in a casual way,” he adds.
Pecol rides his bicycle around Wukang Road to check on his various shops most days and doesn’t believe the road will become too noisy or commercial.
“There are not many places available here, mostly residential,” he says, adding his favorite part of Wukang Road is the middle between Tai’an and Fuxing roads.
“After Tai’an Road to Xingguo Road, it’s a bit different, with the bank, not so nice. After Fuxing Road, there’s the wet market and a few shops but nothing fancy. To me, the tail and the head of Wukang Road are just so so,” he says, chuckling.
Pecol adds that it’s not easy for businesses on the road because the bulk of their customers come on weekends with few on weekdays.
“If I really want commercial stuff, I would probably open on streets that are much busier... I just really like this street,” Pecol says.
Another Tongji University professor, Qian Zonghao, believes the ideal situation for the future of Wukang Road is to continue its current status as long as possible.
“I’m confident that Wukang Road will continue to preserve its historical beauty in 10 or 20 years, but I’m worried if policies or people’s conceptions will change after that,” Qian says. “Listed as an historical street, historical buildings along Wukang Road will be preserved. But this neighborhood still requires strict planning to forbid high buildings or buildings and shops that are inharmonious with its historical context, such as supermarkets and hotpot or crayfish restaurants.”
“Buildings all have natural lives. I’m not against the natural course of architectural regeneration but new buildings need to merge well with Wukang Road,” he says.
“I’ve admired a 19th century oil painting of Notre Dame alongside River Seine and today the area looks almost the same. I wish the same for Wukang Road,” Qian says. “Shanghai has many streets, but most of them you only want to pass by quickly. But Wukang Road is one that you want to wander around and linger.”
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