Shanghai transforms former industrial shoreline into public open space

Waterfronts along the Huangpu River in Shanghai open to the public on December 31, 2017. [Photo: paper.cn]

Shanghai has completed the transformation of an industrial zone along a 45-kilometer stretch of the Huangpu River into public open space, reports thepaper.cn.

Photo taken on June 20, 2017 shows a statue at a park on the Bund in Shanghai before the park's opening. [File photo: IC]

The Huangpu riversides, once vital to industry in the city, were densely dotted with docks and factories. Plans for the redevelopment of the area date back to the beginning of the twenty-first century. In recent years, municipal authorities decided to transform part of the riverside district into open public space as a large number of factories moved away from the centre of the city.

Photo taken on June 20, 2017 shows construction workers work at a green space area along the Huangpu River in Shanghai. [File photo: IC]

Old dock facilities have given way to riverside sightseeing boardwalks and observation decks, and walkways, running tracks, and bicycle paths have been built along the riverbanks.

Photo taken on June 20, 2017 shows a newly-built walkway along the Huangpu River in Shanghai. [File photo: IC]

Industrial-themed parks and museums showcasing the heritage of the city's docks have been built to preserve and promote the city's historical and cultural character.

The Shanghai Docks Heritage Museum at the bank of the Huangpu River in Shanghai [Photo provided by Hongkou District of Shanghai]

The efforts to transform its waterfront have helped make the city more inviting to residents and tourists.

Boardwalks along the Huangpu River in Shanghai [Photo provided by Xuhui District of Shanghai]

"The transformation of Huangpu River is a crucial opportunity for Shanghai to become more like an international metropolis," said Zeng Gang, dean of the Urban and Regional Planning Institute at East China Normal University.

Local authorities say they plan to expand the transformation work over the next three years, finally building the Huangpu riverside into a "world-class waterfront public open space."