AN EXCITING NEW Shui On Land development is set to transform and complement the academic flavour of Shanghai's Yangpu district with the opening of the Knowledge & Innovation Community (KIC).
Located in the northeastern corner of Shanghai, the district is famous in the country as a centre of learning, with 14 universities and colleges in addition to more than 100 educational institutions. The Fudan and Tongji universities are internationally famous.
Hui Shing-sui, Shui On Land's director of projects, said it was this atmosphere of knowledge and innovation that had attracted the property development giant to the area to create what he called a 'college town' environment, where work and living were closely linked.
'This is a new concept for Shanghai, where they are trying to promote innovation, science and technology inside our whole development,' said Mr Hui, a Hong Kong native. 'Our project is next to Fudan [University], and we have worked very closely with them.
'The people of this town are educated and civilised. What we have brought them is a new concept of living that combines the working environment and the living environment in a fun and healthy way.'
An innovation hub lies at the centre of the 84-hectare development, which is next to the Jiangwan Stadium, a historic 40,000-seat structure built in 1935 to host the China National Games. The stadium has been renovated as part of the development and is an integral part of the KIC environment.
Phase I of the hub is built around a sunken plaza designed to promote interaction and a sense of community among the residents. It features four blocks of low-density buildings.
