Shanghai Xintiandi

shanghaihighlights.com/shanghai-sightseeing/xintiandi.html

Xintiandi is situated in the middle of

Shanghai Town, south of Huaihai Zhong
Lu. Shanghai Xintiandi is a stylish
pedestrian road made of Shikumen
houses and up-to-date building styles. It
has developed an urban traveller attraction
that combines the past with the culture of
today.

The Shanghai Xintiandi is very unique due

to its ideal building construction. It holds
the traditional walls, tiles plus the outer of
Shikumen housing of ancient Shanghai. Instead of this, its interior embodies a completely
different world of international galleries, bars, cafes, boutiques and themed cafes. When
you visit Xin Tian Di, you will experience the flavour both of Shanghai in the 1920's and the
auditory current lifestyle of citizens of 21st century. Xintiandi also stands out as an
entertainment complex housed in reconstructed, modified houses of Shanghai.

Shikumen Houses History

A`shikumen house (石窟门建筑 shikumen jianzhu /shrr-koo-mnn jyen-joo/ 'rock cave
doorway building') is a typical residential building representative of Shanghai's traditional
buildings. You can see these buildings in most Shanghai longtangs (old alleys).

They were first built around the 1870s, at the time of the Revolutionary War of the Taiping
Heavenly Kingdom. Many rich people fled to the French Concession Area of Shanghai.
Foreign land agents built houses for these rich people with elegant designs and many
rooms. This kind of buildings was designed based on the style of Jiangnan ('(Yangtze)
River South') local residential houses, with the solid-wood door framed in stone, hence
shikumen.

From the 1910s shikumen building design combined Western style with the Jiangnan style,
making the house design simpler. After the 1930s, new longtangs and gardens became
popular, and shikumen houses became buildings for lower level people. However, at the
end of 20th century, the Shanghai government decided to build Xintiandi based on
shikumen houses, which pushed this architecture again into the forefront of fashion.

What to do in Xin Tian Di

Xin Tian Di is divided into two parts: the South Block and the North Block.

1/3
The South Block mainly consists of
modern architecture with Shikumen
architecture as an accompaniment. It
covers an area of 25,000 square meters
and was opened to public in mid-2002.
The complex of block is built with glass
walls; it delivers modern atmosphere and
style. Inside the block, there are a lot of
restaurants from all over the world,
boutiques, fashionable ornament shops,
food courts, cinemas and one-stop fitness
centers providing places of leisure and
entertainment for customers and tourists from home and abroad.

The North Block is composed of antique Shikumen buildings with inner modern designs,
decoration and equipment. It features upscale stores and restaurants with cuisine from
different countries such as France, Brazil, America, Japan, Germany and Italy, fully
revealing the international level of Shanghai Xin Tian Di.

The designers took a part of these Shikumen households and improved them, creating two
ordinary blocks. These buildings are filled with cafes, hotels, shops, bars and inns.
However on the southern side is a large new building that is full of well-known brand-named
shops, good cafes (Din Tai Fung and Crystal Jade have openings on the next floor) and a
movie cinema on the 3rd floor that shows movies in English language.

Drink
There are also very stylish wine bars;
you’ll find whatever you’re thirsty for.

Eat
When the climate is fine, you’ll find what appears like everybody in Shanghai is sitting
outside and eating. There are good cafes for example Paul (the French bakery and
patisserie), KABB (Best American-style burgers plus censorships) and also Chinese coffee
bars like Din Tai (make a reservation). Chic venues comprise Va Bene (Italian), plus T8
(fusion).

Shopping
2/3
Xintiandi has few good shops. You’ll find bargains in Shanghai Tang’s northern block. Also
don’t forget Shanghai Trio (Taicang Street) for locally made bags, scarves and fittings.

Transportation

Buses
42, 911, or 926 to Huangpi South Road (黄陂南路站)926 or 932 to Songshan Road on
Huaihai Middle Road (淮海中路嵩山路站)775 to Lianyun Road on Jingling West Road (金陵
西路连云路站)

Subway
Line 1 to Huangpi South Road (黄陂南路站); use Exit 3Line 10 to Xintiandi (新天地站); use
Exit 6Line 8 to Da Shijie (大世界 'Big World'); use Exit 3

3/3