Regenerating Old Industrial Workshops:
Experience from Ninth Cotton Textile Factory of Shanghai
Professor Fan Zhou，Assistant Professor Yang Jianfei
Institute for Cultural Industries, Communication University of China, Beijing
With the recession of the old industrial zones, industrial cities are trying to find ways
to explore the values of these wasted factories and stimulus local economy. Since the
emergence of creative industry, creativity is exhibited from reconstruction to
regenerate these old factories. Culture and creativity has become important
elements to re-design these factories.
There are good examples of this kind in western cities including London in UK and
Ruhr industrial Zone in Germen. In developing countries, it is more and more popular
to develop cultural creative industries by renew the old factories. Take China as an
instance. Recent year, Chinese government advocates that conception of changing
the pattern the economic development mode and promotes the economy. With so
many industries factories, many cities are striving for ways to renew the old wasted
factories and to explore their economic potential by the creative design. In Shanghai,
the Ninth Cotton Textile Factory is a good example for the regenerating from the old
factory to be a new creative industry cluster which received a high reputation at
home and abroad.
1、Background of this Creative Design
The reconstruction of Ninth Cotton Textile Factory of Shanghai is a part of Global
Creative Economic Town supported by the Special Unit for South-South Cooperation
(SU/SSC). UNDP. The Global Creative Economic Town is generally situated in the
waterfront area of Huangpu River in Yangpu District. For this region, it is the
birthplace of Chinese modern industries. There are abundant industrial heritages left
here including China’s first power plant, the first tap water plant, the first gasworks,
and the first cotton mill and so on, which are of milestone significance in the history
of China’s modern industry. The Ninth Cotton Textile Factory of Shanghai is the most
famous one both economically and politically.
Wonderful industrial heritages make it possible to be a good model by crative desige.
With total bank line length of 265 meters and land area of about 111,159 square
meters, the factory used to be a key linen enterprise in Shanghai, and the existing
building area covers about 149,791 square meters with factory buildings. This project
will establish the No.9 cotton textile factory as an international center of creative
economy by reconstruction and creativity at the background of the development of
the Global Creative Economic Town which will be a unique creative economic
waterfront area with the Chinese characteristics and world views.
The good education environment provides enough talents for the aim to be an
international center of creative economy in this district.This district has brought
together 14 renowned universities at home and abroad, more than 100 research
institutes, nearly 200,000 scientific and technical talents and over 30 academicians of
Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering, forming four
science and technology parks including Shanghai Wujiaochang High-Tech Park,
National Science and Technology Park of Fudan University, National Science and
Technology Park of Tongji University and Shanghai Yangpu Pioneering Service Center
for Technological Incubation Enterprises, as well as seven science and technology
industry incubation bases such as IT base, which have nurtured a large number of
knowledge-intensive and entrepreneurial science and technology enterprises with
independent intellectual property rights. Concentrated discipline advantages and a
wealth of intellectual resources serve as important basic security for this creative
reconstruction.
Besides these good conditions, there are still some disadvantages for this
reconstruction.
(1) Lack of high-quality habitat environment
Creative stratum is demanding for work environment and work atmosphere, and
high-quality life often needs history, culture and infrastructure for support.
Surroundings around Shanghai No.9 Cotton Textile Factory are traditional industrial
areas and squatter settlements, with mixed industrial land and residential land, poor
external environment, inadequate public service facilities and single urban function.
Despite the development of real estate in recent years and great enhancement of
living and habitat functions, high-quality real estate properties, public space and a
full range of public services are lacking, especially education and health facilities.
(2) Poor traffic conditions and traffic accessibility
Traffic condition around Shanghai No.9 Cotton Textile Factory features poor road
surface quality and narrow road width. As a result of connecting with cargo terminals
and marshaling yards, it now also carries a lot of heavy freight traffic flow, which has
accelerated the deterioration of road conditions. At the same time, Shanghai No.9
Cotton Textile Factory lacks convenient transport links with downtown districts,
hinterland of riverside development in Yangpu and university-intensive zone in
northwestern Shanghai, with large distance from the possible constructed public
passenger transport routes (metro line) and stations in the future.
In order to solve these problems, local government has published a series of policies
and invested much to improve the local infrastructure and environment and habitat
conditions to find a sustainable way for the factory’s design.
The project will create a world-class creative industry park, which will emerge as
Global Creative Industry Marketing Center—one of “three cores” of The United
Nations' global layout for creative industry and will be a major highlight in the
development of Huangpu River---the world’s longest Waterside Creative Economy
Belt.
2. The Plan of the Creative Design
By virtue of the unique status of Special Unit for South-South Cooperation (SU/SSC)
in the development of global creative economy, the projects is expected to create a
sound ecological environment, attract global creative elements to agglomerate, and
contribute to the development of creative industry towards ecologization, high end
and internationalization in Shanghai and even the whole China.
(1) Development Goals
In order to establish a model of make old factory to be creative precinct, it emphasis
on four major functions as follows:
--provides statistic data and other information about capital, market about creative
industries
--offer trainings in creative industries including TV,film, copyright, design and so on
--establish transaction platform for academic exchange and cooperation for creative
economy
--to be an international incubator for cultural enterprises and promote cooperation
between cultural enterprises
According to the conception ,there will be four industrial constructions.
A
Exhibition Center of Global Creative Economy
One of the factory buildings will be changed into an exhibition building for large
conference and exhibitions. The core is to be a museum to collect staffs from World
Expo 2010, Shanghai and other industrial heritages.
B
Global Creative Industry Marketing Center
With the construction of “Transaction Platform for Global Creative Economy” as
emphasis, a perfect internationalized industry transaction service platform will be set
up to render intellectual property related services, financing services as well as
import and export services with regards to technology, wisdom and management.
Global Creative Industry Marketing Center will be constructed.
C The United Nations' Creative Economy Training Center
Assistance and training are two major tasks undertaken by the United Nations for
developing countries. The project will launch multi-level training in various forms,
vigorously push forward the development of creative economy in the South-South
countries and build The United Nations' Creative Economy Training Center.
D
The United Nations' Creative Economy Information and Research Center
By means of establishing Information Support System for Global Creative Economy,
the project will invite experts in the field of creative economy to serve as researchers
at a regular basis, set up Creative Economy Information system (i.e., One Website,
One Channel, One Magazine, One Newspaper, One Forum and One White Paper) and
other measures, a variety of information related to creative industry will be collected,
studied and disseminated so as to gradually establish authoritative status of “Global
Creative Economic Town” in the field of global creative information services.
(2) Spatial Layout of the old factory
Under the principle of “the positioning guides the function, and the function
determines the layout”, the spatial space of the factory is divided into five regional
zones: Headquarters Zone, R&D Zone, Incubator Zone, Demonstration & Transaction
Function A and Demonstration & Transaction Function Zone B.
1. Headquarters Zone:
Administrative Zone of
Headquarters
Conference, Forum and Visiting
Zone
Administrative Area of
Headquarters
Public areas for tourists
to visit
Large and medium-sized
full-digitalization
conference rooms for rent
Release Center
Press Center
Chinese headquarters of the
global major cultural industries
and creative industry groups
Chinese headquarters of
various creative economy
promotion agencies around
the world
Headquarters of The
United Nations
Spatial Components: Administrative Headquarters, together with Conference, Forum
and Visiting Zone.
Administrative Headquarters
It will serve as office premise of the stationed various global creative economy
headquarters. The planned introduced headquarters fall into three categories:
1) The United Nations organs
2) Chinese headquarters of various creative economy promotion agencies around the
world (offices or representative offices), such as Chinese Office of Korea Culture &
Content Agency, etc.;
3) Chinese headquarters (offices) of the global major cultural industries and creative
industry groups, such as News Corporation.
Conference, Forum and Visiting Zone
It will serve as the place where large-scale global creative economy conferences and
worldwide Creative Economy forum will be held and for all types of domestic and
foreign tourists to visit. Conference Zone includes: Press Center for organizing press
conference, Release Center of important creative products and creative economy
technologies, large and medium-sized full-digitalization conference rooms for all
types of stationed headquarters and various types of external organizations to rent.
At the same time, modeled after the United Nations Headquarters, public areas will
be designed for tourists to visit.
2. R&D Function Zone
In this zone, there will be Global Creative Economy Development & Research
Institute and Global Creative Economy Development & Training Academy will be
established.
R&D Function Zone
Global Creative Economy
Development & Training
Academy
Global Creative Economy
Development Institute
Operational media
 Policy makers of creativity economy in
various countries
 R&D personnel for creativity economy
technology
 Senior managers for creative
economy
 Training entrusted by international
organizations and individual countries
 Training of high-end creative
economy talents
 Acceptance of training businesses
entrusted by different agencies
 Annual Report of Global Creative
Economy
 Global Creative Economy Website
Global Creative Economy Database
 Magazine for Research on Global
Creative Economy
curriculum
economy
 Creative
standard programs and training
materials
 Research and development on
global creative economy
 Research and development on the
curriculum of global creative
economy
 Editing and publishing of reports on
global creative economy
of
operation
and
 Creation
important media for global creative
economy
 Self-initiated development and
research tasks on global creative
economy
 Acceptance of development and
research tasks entrusted by
international organizations, countries
and multinational corporations
Specific tasks
Training targets
Major Functions
Major functions
Global Creative Economy Development and Research Institute is a newly-created
non-profit entity. Specific tasks are specified as follows:
1) Research and development on global creative economy;
2) Research and development on the curriculum of global creative economy;
3) Editing and publishing of reports on global creative economy;
4) Creation and operation of important media for global creative economy;
5) Global cooperation in development and study of creative economy.
The major subordinated organs for Creative Economy are specified as follows: Policy
Research Center, Technology Research Center, Transaction Research Center, R&D
Center of Curriculum and International Research Cooperation Center for Creative
Economy, Creative Economy Network Information Center and International United
Lab for Creative Economy Measurement. Major operational media are specified as
follows: Annual Report of Global Creative Economy, Global Creative Economy
Website, Global Creative Economy Database and Magazine for Research on Global
Creative Economy. At the same time, creative economy curriculum standards,
training programs and training materials will be edited and published.
Global Creative Economy Development & Training Academy is a newly-created
non-profit entity. Main training targets are specified as follows:
1) Policy makers of creativity economy in various countries, i.e., training of creative
economy officials;
2) R&D personnel for creativity economy technology, i.e., training of technical
personnel;
3) Senior managers for creative economy, i.e., training of creative economy managers
(creative Economy MBA);
4) Training entrusted by international organizations and individual countries.
The major subordinated organs are specified as follows: Department of the Senate,
Training Department I (training of officials), Training Department II (training of
technical personnel), MBA Center (training of senior managers), International
Cooperation Department, Official Website of Global Creative Economy Development
& Training Academy and Trainee Center, etc.
3. Incubation Function Zone
Through the establishment of the investment and financing platform for
development and promotion of global creative economy, the common technology
service platform, the market development guide center and the international trade
cooperation platform assume the duties of promoting creative economy of
South-South Cooperation members and promoting the function of economic
development through development of creative economy.
Administrative
Area
Incubation
Zone
Service zone for
technologies
Life and Leisure
Area
Administrative Area :To provide the administrative area for institutions or enterprises
settled in the function zone such as the investment and financing platform for
development and promotion of global creative economy, the market development
guide center for creative economy and the international trade cooperation platform
for creative economy.
Service zone for technologies. One part is the service zone for common technologies
in creative economy, providing technology services for incubated institutions or
enterprises settled here; the other part is the experimental zone for creative
economy used by incubated institutions or enterprises settled in the zone for official
business or production.
This incubation zone is different from the domestic general incubator in culture
industries (cultural creative industry, creative industry). Incubated institutions or
enterprises settled in the zone are mainly the South-South cooperation member
countries, and the representative project of creative economy of each country is
generally introduced.
Life and Leisure Area
It provides all functions in the creativity community except the residence function. As
a full-open area, life and leisure area serves all kinds of workers and visitors. This is
the core platform of communication and exchange. It strongly features the realization
of functions of the creativity community through the demonstration and experience
of colorful life styles of South-South cooperation member countries. The life leisure
projects settled are mainly special restaurants, special bars, special cafes and other
different special leisure houses of each country with the most representative features.
The promotion of these representative life styles is a role model to further the
development of creative economy of developing countries.
4. Demonstration & Transaction Function Zone A
Through the space separation and classification, the most representative intangible
cultural heritage and handicraft shops of South-South cooperation member countries
are introduced to this area for exhibitions, experience and transaction.
Demonstration & Transaction
Function Zone A
Dynamic Area
Static Area
The function zone is composed of spaces of demonstration, experience and
transaction, specifically, including two spaces: one is the static area characterized by
static demonstration, experience and transaction; and the other is the dynamic area
characterized by dynamic demonstration, experience and transaction.
Static Area: This is a demonstration, experience and transaction zone focusing on
products with physical form. In terms of space layout, the zoning is first made based
on each continent, each continent is divided based on countries, and each country is
divided based on types.
Dynamic Area: This is a demonstration, experience and transaction zone focusing on
services with non-physical form. Several small theatres and small stages can be
designed in this area, providing paid centralized demonstration and experience
services in the form of regular exhibition and performance or ordered performance.
5. Demonstration & Transaction Function Zone B
The main function here is technology transferring and provide service for IP in
creative industries.
Demonstration & Transaction
Function Zone B
International demonstration and
experience zone for technologies
of creative economy.
International intellectual
property protection and
transaction zone
International zone for
transaction of technologies of
creative economy
International zone for creative technologies transfer
Its main function is to set up the technological property transaction platform for the
purpose of promoting the creative technology transaction and the international
spread of technologies of creative economy and realizing the industrialization of
technologies for creative economy. The transaction zone consists of two platforms:
one is the South-South Cooperation technological property right transaction platform;
the other is the international platform for the transaction of creative economy and
technology.
International intellectual property protection and transaction zone
Its main function is to set up the international intellectual property right transaction
platform and develop the international protection of intellectual property rights for
the purpose of furthering development, application and protection of intellectual
property rights. Through the protection and transaction of intellectual property
rights, the development of creative economy can be promoted.
International demonstration and experience zone for creative economy and
technology
Its main function is to transform the creative technologies and make them possible
for tourists to watch and experience. This is an interactive area and also an
open-class aiming to increase popularity and attractiveness of advanced technologies
of creative economy and exhibitions.
3. Conclusion of Experiences of Old Industrial Buildings’ Reconstruction
It can be concluded from the reconstruction of the Ninth Cotton Textile Factory of
Shanghai: preserve the appearance characteristics (surface) and main structures of
the existed architecture, introduce new city functions via fulfillment and replacement
of the indoor space and by means of internal reconstruction to put new functions
into use and updating the fundamental facilities, so as to renew the old industrial
construction and realize the unity of creation and protection. This does not only
increase the vigor of survival of these buildings, but also gain a certain benefits. A
fine architectural design shall influence people’s thought at all historical periods, and
shall be preserved to gain a relative eternity.
(1) To develop museum tourism at the base of the regenerating
As a product of industrial civilization, the industrial constructions record the
history of a country’s economic development. The preservation and renewal
reconstruction for the old industrial constructions shall be a witness of the industrial
development and change, thus the development must been performed in
preservation and operation of cultural industry shall be developed according to the
practical conditions. Generally speaking, from the aspect of location and land value
of the architecture, the reconstruction for excellent industrial historical architectures
into museums of various themes can not only enable us to continually use the
fundamental facilities of the old city region, but also promote the museum tourism
taking industrial relics as the theme. Reconstructing the old industrial construction
into museum is also a re-recognition and destination of the history and culture. Since
the old industrial construction zones will generally have an advantageous
transportation, around which a large-scale population gathering place will be formed,
it is naturally attributed with potential to be developed into a tourism scenic spots.
So it is required to accelerate the reconstruction speed for the old architectures and
activate the real estate properties so as to bring its vital force back. Take Tate Modern
as example, exhibition of numerous valuable and rear products combining with the
advantageous location which is convenient in transportation and facing St.Paul's
Cathedral across the Thames has brought satisfactory visitors of 5000,000
persons/time in the first year.
(2) Pay more attention to creative reconstruction from the real condition
In the meantime, since the industrial constructions which generally adopt large
load-bearing skeletons with complicated structure, high standard technology are
solid and durable, and the internal large space is flexible in use and convenient for
space alteration or adjustment, the service life of the industrial construction itself is
far longer than its functional life. This feature can be used during reconstruction that
within the material service life, its space arrangement can be altered for many times
according to the specific application requirements. People may fully develop the site
creatively by the thought of art and cut the space and arrangement flexibly, which is
particularly required by museum which needs large area for exhibition, and can
reconstruct it into large exhibition sites, sightseeing platform and etc. as required. It
can be found that all of them have realized the final objective of creative operation
after different reconstructions according to specific historical relics. Besides, they
have also utilized the old facilities to a maximum degree and realized economic and
social benefits. Thus, reconstruction of old workshops must be combined with
various local conditions, including history, human and ecology etc., and vitality of old
constructions can only be activated by means of creativity based on the reality.
(3) Full utilization of the existed relic, realizing fair output from minimized input
As a common condition of the world development, the museums generally
adopt natural lighting and ventilation, which is not only in favor of cultural relics’
protection but can also reduce consumption of energy. The characteristics of general
industrial constructions can precisely meet this requirement. Thus, reconstructing
the existed industrial constructions into museum exhibition space is not only
favorable for its short working period and less investment, also the saved capital can
be utilized for construction of other infrastructures. A creative culture atmosphere
can be constructed by establishment of public cultural spaces such as museum to
attract tourists from various places and creative enterprises or talents to gather. For
example, the Deutsches Bergbaumuseum nowadays just comes out of its existed pits
and ground constructions after perfection and enrichment. The development of the
museum just tells the story of the development of mining industry. Via recovery and
representation of the existed facilities and scenes, it multi-dimensionally shows the
development and progress of life of the miners, mine exploration industry and the
metallurgy. For the Ninth Cotton Textile Factory of Shanghai, it shall be the primary
question for the Planning Department on how to utilize the existed workshops to
perform optimal creative reconstruction at a minimized cost.
(4) Commercialization operation and social benefit first
As an essential part of the cultural heritages, old industrial construction itself
shall be the common heritage for all human beings. Appropriate business operation
will effectively improves the protection and development of the cultural relics, but in
practical development, the social efficiency shall comes first. Social efficiency has
been considered primarily for all the above three reconstruction modes without
exception. Take Tate Gallery as example, the major income is from social donation,
membership fee (recruiting members by providing various individualized services)
and large commercial conference & exhibition, while tickets only accounts for a small
part of the income. And Deutsches Bergbau Museum is generally half-free, which has
been an important sci & tech education and history education base for local primary
school and middle school students, and has been a key town for research of the
mining industry history. So for the reconstruction of the Ninth Cotton Textile Factory
of Shanghai, should it consider utilizing its past industrial status and influence to
develop some space to illustrate the development course of Chinese textile industry
and develop some related scientific research and training work to gain its economic
vitality?
(5) Full consideration, and paying attention to sustainable development
The renewal and reconstruction of the old industrial construction is ecologically
significant to some degree for the appeal of environmental protection nowadays.
Statistical data shows that in the world, 30% of the solid wastes are from
construction engineering, which includes the construction engineering and
manufacture
process
to
produce
construction
materials.
Therefore,
the
reconstruction and reuse of the old industrial constructions must adhere to thought
of sustainable development. We shall not only save energy and reduce pollution, but
also embody the brilliant outcome and practical requirements for future
development. Take Paris Sewage Museum as example, while it is used as an
exhibition, its various functions are also in use and perfect, and in the mean time,
which not only acts as a tourism site as a museum, but also shoulders the
responsibility of drainage for the city. Thus, during reconstruction of old workshops,
its various functions shall be fully exerted so as to realize maximum efficiency and
perform multi-channel development.
In the urban planning practices of the world, it is a common practice to
reconstruct and enlarge the old industrial construction into a cultural cluster or
museum. To developcreative industry with old construction heritages has the
advantages of low reconstruction cost and high added value, which does not only
have unique industrial and spiritual values, but also adds to a cultural landscape
integrating history and the modern times of the city.