Past: A Century-Old Garden of Firsts, the Cradle of Shanghai-style Civilization (1882–2018)
In 1882, Zhang Shuhe, a wealthy merchant from Wuxi, bought this site on what is today West Nanjing Road and began to build Zhang’s Weichun Garden (Zhang Garden). When the garden opened to the public in 1885 for free, it quickly became one of Shanghai’s “Three Great Gardens” alongside Xu Garden and Yu Garden, and would be referred to as “The Number One Garden in Shanghai”.

It was Shanghai’s first large-scale public space during the late Qing and early Republican eras. It played host to many of the city’s most important technological firsts; the first commercially available electric lighting, the first bicycle demonstrations, the first outdoor photography studio, and the first dramatic performances outside of a theater. Many political figures such as Sun Yat Sen and Cai Yuan Pei held speeches and conducted public gatherings at the gardens.

The original garden was broken up after 1919 and transformed into “shikumen” style traditional Shanghainese lane houses. Zhang Garden has become Shanghai’s largest, best preserved and most diversified shikumen cluster and is often referred to as the “Shikumen Museum.” The development has 42 historic buildings with 28 different architectural designs, including 13 designated as Municipal Excellent Historic Buildings and 24 as District Level Protected Sites.

Prior to 2018, the area still functioned as a residential neighborhood. Due to aging buildings and outdated infrastructure, the area required immediate and urgent conservation.

Present: Conservation-driven Redevelopment, a Contemporary Revival of Shikumen Blocks (2018-Present)

Jing’an District was the first to begin Shanghai’s large-scale conservation renovation of a historic district under the principles of “Acquisition without Demolition, Relocation with Building Preservation, and Restoration to Original Authenticity.” The project is being carried out by Jing’an Real Estate Group, with the West Zone opening in November 2022.

1. Design Concept & Key Strategies

• One Building, One File: Archives were created for each historic structure detailing its materials, construction techniques and condition prior to restoration. All brick carvings, woodwork, roofing tile and historical texture were restored using traditional craftsmanship with minimal interference to the structure.
• Urban Fabric Reconstruction: The original shikumen layout, lane scales, and street patterns were maintained and incorporated into the redevelopment. All historic spaces were adapted for contemporary uses without the need for large-scale demolition or reconstruction.
• Transit Integration: An underground space with three levels connects seamlessly to Metro Lines 2, 12 and 13, providing underground parking and public services that do not interfere with the historical shikumen layout of the district.

2. Revitalization Results & Operational Transformation

• Opening of West Zone (Nov 2022): With a total gross floor area of around 18,500 square meters, the West Zone features over 50 international luxury retailers with an occupancy rate of over 90%. More than 280 events are held in the West Zone annually, which attracts between 30,000 and 80,000 visitors daily.
• Street-Space Symbiosis: The project has merged with the Maoming North Road Time-Limited Pedestrian Street to create an immersive “shikumen block + open street” urban living room.
• Development of East Zone: The historic buildings of the East Zone will be protected and relocated as a group. Boutique retail, cultural venues, offices and hotels will be introduced in the East Zone, with full completion expected in 2026-2027.

Historical and Modern Significance

By applying a minimum of intervention in the design process, Zhang Garden’s architecture achieves a harmonious dialogue between the old and new. The warm memories of the 100-year-old shikumen make Zhang Garden an urban landmark that’s like a walk down memory lane.

However, even though the architecture was well preserved, the residents that lived in Zhang Garden as recently as 2018 were displaced from a neighborhood they knew to be home for possibly many generations before them, and in place of their former homes are now luxury retailers, not exactly honoring the culture of local Shanghainese residents. It serves as a warning sign of how commercialization and consumerism could be replacing authentic Shanghainese culture.

Image References

All images not separately credited below filmed at location by Stories Rezoned team

1. Anonymous. Arcadia Hall (An Kaidi) in Zhang Garden, Shanghai. ca. 1900s. Xinmin Evening News, 1 Dec. 2013, http://xmwb.xinmin.cn/html/2013-12/01/content_26_1.htm.
2. Anonymous. Interior View of Zhang Garden (Chang So Hu Garden), Shanghai. ca. 1910s. Baidu Baike, 15 Mar. 2023, https://baike.baidu.com/item/民国初张园内景/58741234.
3. Anonymous. Main Gate of Zhang Garden (Chang-Su-Hu Garden), Shanghai. ca. 1903. Wikimedia Commons, 18 Apr.2010, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chang_So_Hu_Garden_Shanghai_1903.jpg.
4. Anonymous. Shikumen Buildings in Zhang Garden, Shanghai. 2014. Sohu Luxury, 25 June 2014, http://luxury.sohu.com/20140625/n401314995_1.shtml.
5. Anonymous. Aerial View of Zhang Garden Renovation Site, Shanghai. 2021. The Paper, 12 Mar. 2021, https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_1006228.

References

1. Shanghai Jing’an District People’s Government. “保护历史风貌和城市有机更新相结合 百年张园：新一轮规划才刚刚开始.” Jing’an District Official Website, 23 May 2024, www.jingan.gov.cn/rmtzx/003008/003008004/20240523/1c4cdfcb-65f9-4356-aa2d-4f597be5c689.html.
2. Shanghai Jing’an District People’s Government. “上海市静安区人民政府对市十六届人大二次会议第 0011 号代表建议的答复.” Jing’an District Official Website, 17 May 2024, www.jingan.gov.cn/govxxgk/JA0/2024-05-17/361d6a7f-0ba2-4b49-9aa3-d5d3a8bfe840.html.
3. Shanghai Jing’an District People’s Government. “张园.” Jing’an District Official Website, 12 June 2024, www.jingan.gov.cn/rmtzx/003008/003008006/20240612/086ad7b8-b667-48b3-b259-114056e69941.html.
4. People’s Daily. “以更新改造带动商圈升级.” People’s Daily Online, 17 Mar 2025, paper.people.com.cn/zgcsb/pad/content/202503/17/content_30062298.html.
5. Shanghai Information Office. “百年张园西区正式揭幕.” Shanghai Municipal Government Information Office, 23 Feb 2024, www.shio.gov.cn/TrueCMS/shxwbgs/ywts/content/facb3070-397d-43a2-b574-4ee109d764fe.htm.