THE historical Shanghai Cement Factory, once the largest in Asia, has been reborn as the West Bund Dome art center for the city’s biennial urban space art season that opened on Sunday.

The new cultural space, part of the West Bund Dream Center, spans some 9,000 square meters and is set to host a diverse array of events, including art exhibitions, theater performances, brand launches, fashion shows, sports events and eSports tournaments.

The newly unveiled site hosted the opening ceremony of the 2023 Shanghai Urban Space Art Season, marking its fifth edition. During this year’s event, which runs through November 20, a total of 20 exhibitions across the city under the theme “METro-BIOSIS” will showcase Shanghai’s ecological development concepts and technological methods, presenting a city where “human and nature harmoniously coexist.”

The main exhibition area is in the southern section of West Bund in Xuhui District, along a 5-kilometer stretch from Longyao Road to Dianpu River.

Vice Mayor Zhang Xiaohong said this year’s art season will further raise awareness about the importance of nature and encourage the protection of the environment.

“It also aims to attract experts and professionals, both domestic and international, to contribute their insights to Shanghai’s endeavors in creating an ecologically sustainable megacity,” Zhang said.

Zhuang Shaoqin, vice minister of natural resources, said the art season is expected to display China’s wisdom and solutions in the global endeavor of ecological civilization construction.

Zhang Yuxin, director of the Shanghai Planning and Natural Resources Bureau, emphasized its significance as a celebration for citizens and a forum for contemplating, exchanging ideas and planning the high-quality development of the city.

The theme, “METro-BIOSIS,” is derived from the term “metabiosis,” which expresses the organic coexistence and symbiotic relationships within the biological world.

Under the guidance of the Shanghai 2035 Master Plan, the city is committed to eco-friendly urban development. This includes improving regional parks, wetlands and forests, promoting green concepts, planning new urban areas for accessible green spaces within 15 minutes, and enhancing urban resilience with “sponge city” initiatives, according to Vice Mayor Zhang.

As a highlight of the art season, the historical cement factory features a circular, column-free space with a towering height of around 27 meters. It has a circular balcony on the second floor, making it an ideal venue for a diverse range of events.

The factory once played a pivotal role in China’s modernization journey during the last century, witnessing the development of China’s modern industry and the urban development of Shanghai.

In 1923, the factory started to produce “Elephant” brand cement, which was used in the construction of Bund landmarks, including the Shanghai Customs House and the Park Hotel.

The art center’s design preserves the iconic industrial characteristics of its dome-shaped structure while maximizing the use of interior space for various cultural activities.

Its roof is covered with a semi-transparent polycarbonate material, creating a lantern-like effect at night. During the day, visitors can glimpse the original orange structure through the translucent roof panels.

Notably, the historical conveyor bridge, originally used for transporting raw materials into the building, has been retained as part of the renovation.

One of the center’s premier events, an exhibition “fusion” will be held from Sunday through October 20. It integrates exhibitions, multimedia presentations and live performances, offering visitors a progressively immersive sensory experience.

It introduces a panoramic second-floor viewing perspective, allowing visitors to witness the grandeur of the performance space from different angles.

The art season was initiated in 2015 on the West Bund waterfront, which helped to turn the riverside area once dominated by factories and municipal facilities into a hub of art galleries and museums.

This year, the event returns to the area to further promote its development. More than 30 artworks will be unveiled to contribute to the development of an eco-friendly and appealing riverside open space, exploring the theme of “coexistence” in future urban planning, according to the Xuhui government.

The event has repurposed another industrial heritage, the White Cat Detergent Factory warehouse, into its main exhibition hall.

The site will serve as the foundation for a future plant science education center. Along the warehouse, some small-scale and multifunctional pavilions as well as children’s activities and sports facilities will be unveiled.

Visitors to the exhibition areas can not only enjoy the displays, but also experience the evolving urban landscape, appreciate the charm of nature and explore the harmonious coexistence of human and nature in urban life, said an organizer of the art season.

The main exhibition hall at the White Cat Detergent Factory has preserved the core structure and most of the original façade, while renovating the interior space to accommodate exhibitions.

The external design incorporates multiple stairs and ramps into the building’s façade and the spaces between the site’s vegetation. This approach maximizes the preservation of native plants while ensuring smooth access to all exhibition areas.

The urban space art season, guided by the philosophy of “cultivating culture, building a city through art,” has created an internationally recognized public art brand. It continues to promote the Shanghai World Expo theme of “better city, better life.” Since its initiation, the event has featured different themes and the transformation of old urban spaces, the organizers said.

The first edition’s main exhibition area, a historical aircraft hangar on the West Bund has become a key exhibition center and artistic hub. The second edition saw the reuse of the Pudong Minsheng Wharf’s 80,000-ton grain silo for avant-garde and fashion events after its conclusion.

The third edition helped transform the 5.5-kilometer section along the Huangpu River in Yangpu District into a vibrant showcase of urban living.

In the fourth edition, the event played a pivotal role in inspiring 52 cities nationwide to collectively endorse the “15-minute community life circle” initiative.

As a culmination of its decadelong journey, this year’s art season will showcase a special exhibition titled “Every season is a new beginning” at the S2 Waterfront Service Center on the West Bund to review the previous seasons.