The introduction about Xintiandi

Xintiandi is an affluent car-free shopping, eating and entertainment district of Shanghai, China. It is composed of an area of reconstituted traditional shikumen ("stone gate") houses on narrow alleys, some adjoining houses which now serve as book stores, cafes and restaurants, and shopping malls. Most of the cafes and restaurants feature both indoor and outdoor seating. Xintiandi has an active nightlife on weekdays as well as weekends, though romantic settings are more common than loud music and dance places. It is considered one of the first lifestyle centers in China.

Xintiandi is the location of the site of the first congress of the Communist Party of China, now preserved at the Museum of the First National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party. Also nearby is the site of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea when Korea was a Japanese colony.

The area was developed by Shui On Land during the re-development of the surrounding area. Some houses in Xintiandi were then limited (and not renovated, unlike the Chinese government and the real estate agency official version), in order to implant an art gallery, cafes, and restaurants. Many tour groups both domestic and from abroad also visit Xintiandi as one of the main attractions in Shanghai.

The Xintiandi redevelopment was designed by Benjamin T. Wood and Nikken Sekkei International. The urban renewal is considered one of the first examples of the placemaking approach in China.)

This construction displaced 3,500 Shanghainese families.

The neighborhood is divided into two parts – South Block and the North Block with Xingye Rd serving as the division line. Fewer original shikumen were preserved in the South block, and many modern glass façade building dominate the cityscape here. The North Block boasts with more authentic architecture preserved, and one can wonder leisurely through the narrow shikumen alleys and enjoy the atmosphere of the small plazas with open terrace cafes.

Xintiandi is great to saunter through on a sunny day, many parts of it are reserved for pedestrians only – a rare luxury in hectic Shanghai. Many Shanghai residents would agree, however, that after the renovation the area became too commercialized and lost the true feeling of what it initially meant to be – a residential area and home for many Shanghainese families. Therefore, come here to admire the old architecture style and gawk at the showcases of the high end boutiques; but don’t expect to find authentic old Shanghai in Xintiandi, in a sense the area is an expensive stylized showcase itself.