Xin Tian Di

Overview
 

Location
Xin Tian Di, which means "the New World" in English, is located between the South of Middle Huai Hai Road, Huang Pi Road and Ma Dang Road, South to People Square, the very Centre of the City.
 
History
As early as 1860s, a number of two- or three-storey terrace houses were built to accommodate refugees who ran away from neighboring cities to find haven in Shanghai, in the turbulent times. The stone houses are called "Shi Ku Men" or literally "stone gate". They are featured in stone arch, thick solid wooden doors with a bronze circle on each panel and narrow passages or "lanes" between the rows of terraced houses. These houses used to be the typical residential buildings in old Shanghai, and up to 80% of the City’s population lived in this type of houses.

In 2002, Developer Shui On Land, Designer Benjamin Wood together with a designer team from Singapore and Tongji University got together and cooperated in the renovation of Xin Tian Di. The stone gates and walls remain the same; while the interior decorations have been modernized to cater for metropolitan people in the 21st Century. Now it has become an entertainment district. The houses are turned into cafés, bars, theme restaurants, cinema, gymnasium, fashion shops and international arts galleries.
 
Introduction
Xin Tian Di has a total area of 30,000 square meters. It is a fashionable pedestrian street composed of Shikumen and modern architecture style. Shanghai Xin Tian Di is unique because of its concept of construction. It retains the antique walls, tiles and exterior of the Shikumen housing of old Shanghai. On the other hand, its interior embodies a totally different world of international gallery, bars and cafes, boutiques or theme restaurants. When you walk into Xin Tian Di, you will get the taste both of Shanghai in the 1920’s and the sonic modern lifestyle of urbanites of the 21st century.

At Xin Tian Di, you feel both tranquility and vibrancy. Walking from a gate in the North Block into the Center, one may come across tourists speaking different languages. You will see people sitting at outdoor tables, chatting in twos and threes or sipping coffee alone in leisure. Vendors sell souvenirs from all over the world, from Chinese fans, Russian dolls to Italian Tri-Angels.

At about six O’clock in the evening, Xin Tian Di outshines the sun. Lights are on; the large screens flashing in front of the cinemas-- UME International Complex, nicely dressed up people moving around for appointments. Music seems to have a magical reaction with the old architectures, stone pavement and fountains. There are jazz in K2 Jazz and CJW (Cigar, Jazz and Wine); Parisian cabaret in the French Restaurant La Maison with an underground dinning room; and hard rock being played in Japanese restaurants. If you fancy a break, go to the Tai Ping Bridge nearby. A walk around the lake in the moonlight will do you good.

Xin Tian Di is divided into two parts: the South Block and the North Block. The South Block mainly consists of modern architecture with Shikumen architecture as an accompaniment. Its North Block kept the old Shikumen architecture style, forming a contrast to the modern South Block.

South Block: As the complex of shopping, entertainment and leisure, the South Block covers 25,000 square meters (6.2 acres) and opened in the middle of 2002. This glass wall building has a very modern atmosphere. Besides restaurants from all over the world, boutiques, fashionable ornament shops, food courts, cinemas and one-stop fitness centers provide places of leisure and entertainment for customers and tourists from home and abroad.

North Block: Composed of antique Shikumen buildings with inner modern design, decoration and equipment, the North Block 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.

There are also Taipingqiao Lake and Park in central Xin Tian Di, which cover 44,000 square meters. Inside the park are tall trees and low-lying greenery, affording visitors a serene resting place. The lake is the largest man-made lake in downtown Shanghai, covering 12,000 square meters. At the centre of the lake are a set of impressive fountains and two little islets dotting the surface. The islets are named Magnolia and Unison.

Shanghai Xin Tian Di is where ’yesterday and tomorrow meet in Shanghai today’. It embodies the comfortable and convenient life of the 21st century, having all conveniences such as an automatic elevator, central air-conditioner and broadband network. Its boutique keeps in pace with international fashion. Also, the typical Shikumen buildings of old Shanghai seem to be telling people beautiful stories about the history and culture of the city.

Features
Stone gate An entertainment district