Nantou Ancient Town Renovation Project

Nantou Ancient Town is located at the core area of Nanshan District, Shenzhen, with a history of 1700 years. Yet nowadays it has become a low-quality urban village. The project faces the dilemma between the different expectations of the client of developers and the government. Hence the renovation needs to balance the modern needs and history protection.

The renovation project occupies a land area of 44,000 m² (about 1/3 of the ancient town area) and includes 300 buildings. It consists of four areas, including Cultural Cross Belt, Idea Factory, Design Commune and Cultural and Creative Bazaar.

Firstly, the renovation includes the improvement of infrastructure facilities, the expansion and upgrading of public spaces and the comprehensive promotion of spatial environment.

Secondly, the project inherits the spatial layout. The Cantonese architectural style sets the tone for the fabric of the buildings on the main street, highlighting the distinctive features. Meanwhile, several design studios are invited to design the nodes. Additionally, the project activates and utilizes the historic buildings through exhibitions and various cultural events, restoring the glories of the ancient town and forming a new charming historic block.

The renovation of low productive assets and the creation of creative workspace upgrade of industrial structure. A variety of functions such as cultural consumption, youth apartments and art galleries are introduced to the town. By attracting the creative talents, a creative community that organically blends into the local area is created, thus eventually realizing the long-term self-renewal of the ancient town.