Creating the most dynamic waterfront space, Shanghai's riverfront is quietly changing
On an autumn evening, the riverside section of the Huangpu Expo is bustling. Blowing the river breeze, having a cup of coffee, listening to music, strolling around small stalls... The small market by the river is crowded with people. As the sky gradually darkened, the three major docks lit up with lights: Dock 1 transformed into the largest skateboard park in the city center; In docks 2 and 3, the "Yuanwang-1" space survey ship and the "Great Wall 191" submarine stand quietly. This is already one of the study and check-in points for young people in the Yangtze River Delta. Walking along the river, cyclists on the dedicated cycling track flock and sprint past, while on the running track, runners either alone or in groups sweat profusely.
The nighttime vitality of a city is reflected not only in economic activities but also in sports and leisure activities. In recent years, Huangpu District has made great efforts to create a vibrant space along the riverside. Through stock updates and new construction, the environmental quality of the riverside space has been improved, and a variety of cultural, leisure and entertainment facilities have been gathered, which have been welcomed by the public. The Huangpu Expo Riverside is quietly becoming the most dynamic waterfront space.
A versatile shipyard, transformed into a gathering place for youth activities
Under the night sky, on the riverside section of the Huangpu Expo, "Yuanwang No.1" stands out with dazzling lights. The words "Yuanwang 1" are clearly displayed on the bow of the ship. The No. 2 shipyard of the former Shanghai Jiangnan Shipyard, where "Yuanwang-1" is located, was built a hundred years ago. Now, it has undergone a magnificent transformation. After repair, "Yuanwang-1" has become a patriotic and popular science education base for young people, deeply loved by them. "During summer vacation, there are especially many children coming to check in from morning to night.". The other two century old docks, Dockyard 1 and Dockyard 3, which are adjacent to Dockyard 2, have also become gathering places for youth activities in recent years.
Experience the grandeur of sailing in the vast ocean
"Who wants to knock the ship clock?" "Me!" "Me!" A group of elementary school students from Hangzhou, led by their teachers and guides, came to the front of the iconic object of "Yuanwang-1" - the ship clock. The students were eager to knock it with their own hands and experience the heroic atmosphere of "Yuanwang-1" sailing in the vast sea.
Yuanwang-1 is the first generation of comprehensive aerospace survey ship designed and built by China. It was completed and launched at Shanghai Jiangnan Shipyard in 1977, marking a glorious history of 44 expeditions to the ocean and safe navigation of over 2600 days and 440000 nautical miles. "Yuanwang-1" has successfully completed 34 major scientific research and testing missions in China, including intercontinental missiles, submarine launched missiles, communication satellites, meteorological satellites, navigation and positioning satellites, and the "Shenzhou" spacecraft. On November 26, 2011, it entered the original site of Shanghai Jiangnan Shipyard, Dockyard 2, and returned home with honor.
The commentator told the reporter that the so-called shipyard refers to a dock style building used for ship construction. After being filled with water, it can accommodate ships to enter and exit, and after being drained, it can be built on a dry bottom. There are three shipyards along the Huangpu Expo riverside, all of which were used by the former Shanghai Jiangnan Shipyard. The earliest shipyard 1 was built in 1867, while docks 2 and 3 were built in the early 20th century and 1930s respectively, from which many meritorious ships sailed out. Yuanwang-1 was launched at Dock 2 back then, but now it has returned here.
After its return, "Yuanwang-1" did not immediately enter the public eye and was quietly parked by the river for 9 years. In 2019, Shanghai high school student Shan Zhefei submitted a proposal through the "Municipal Party Committee and Government Leaders mailbox", proposing to transform "Yuanwang-1" into a patriotic education and aerospace science popularization education base, open to the public, which was responded to and adopted. With the support of the Huangpu District government, Jiangnan Shipbuilding Group has carried out comprehensive repairs to "Yuanwang-1": it has completed the renovation of the hull paint, the renovation of the boarding ladder, the renovation of the deck, and the removal of cables, cables, and other equipment. The conference room and cockpit on board have been renovated, and electricity has been connected. Air conditioning has been installed, making "Yuanwang-1" accessible for visitors.
Starting from October 1, 2020, "Yuanwang-1" was officially opened to the public. At first, it was open to the team, but later it gradually opened up individual appointment visits, controlled at around 35 people, each equipped with a tour guide, and the entire tour lasted about 1 hour. The guide will introduce the past, present, and various important parts of "Yuanwang-1", which is vivid and interesting.
Standing at the stern of the Yuanwang-1, which is nearly 10 floors high, at Dockyard 2, across the river is the China Art Palace, World Expo Center, as well as the former site of the China Shipbuilding Museum and the Jiangnan Machinery Manufacturing Bureau Translation Museum, connecting the history of China's shipbuilding development.
Experience the joy of extreme sports
Built over 100 years ago, Dock 1 is now the location of the fashionable Huangpu Riverside Skateboarding Extreme Park.
This Skateboard Extreme Park is transformed from a stage waiting hall left over from the World Expo in Shanghai center, with a total area of nearly 10000 square meters. It is the largest skateboard extreme theme fashion sports park in central Shanghai.
The central area of the park is an international standard professional skateboarding competition venue covering an area of over 3000 square meters. Designers of the Tokyo Olympics skateboarding competition venue are invited to design it, which is currently the highest standard skateboarding professional venue in China. The Skateboarding Extreme Park also includes roller skating areas, youth balance bike and BMX small bike areas, rock climbing areas, and multi-functional facilities such as a skateboarding roller skating equipment experience center and a skateboarding cultural themed restaurant.
"Skateboarding has a certain mass base in China," the person in charge of the operation of Skateboarding Extreme Park told reporters. According to statistics, the global market size of skateboarding will reach 2.4 billion US dollars in 2025, equivalent to approximately 15.25 billion yuan. In the past two years, skateboarding has developed rapidly in China, with over 6 million participants. China is also one of the most promising markets for global skateboarding consumption.
The reporter saw on site that the skateboarding competition venue in the Extreme Skateboarding Park is divided into two types: "bowl market" and "street market". "Bowl Market", as the name suggests, refers to sliding on a bowl shaped track surrounded by curved bowl walls. Athletes use the height difference of the bowl walls to slide and showcase stunning aerial movements. "Street Market" simulates the shape of roads on the street, including stairs, handrails, benches, slopes, etc. Athletes use each part of the venue to showcase a series of technical movements. "Bowl Market" and "Street Market" are both forms of skateboarding track in the Olympic skateboarding events. On that day, a 10-year-old girl practiced in the "bowl market" with her father's company. Her movements were skilled, light, and very energetic. The person in charge of the operation of the Skateboarding Extreme Park said that many teenagers come here to practice, and through the linkage with the campus, skateboarding training is often held here.
The threshold for skateboarding may be relatively high, and reporters have found that there are relatively easy to learn sports such as roller skating and ice skating, which are also popular among teenagers.
A glimpse into the secrets in battle movies
At Dockyard 3, the Shanghai Submarine Exhibition Hall, which just opened in April this year, became a hot topic as soon as it opened.
"When the summer vacation was not over, due to the limited capacity of the submarine each time, weekend shows were mostly posted on WeChat and were 'instantly lit up'. During the summer vacation, there was a constant flow of people every day, and almost all shows were fully booked," said the person in charge of the Shanghai Submarine Exhibition Center.
The main body of the Shanghai Submarine Exhibition Hall is a meritorious submarine - the "Great Wall 191" submarine, known as the "underwater dragon" guarding China's blue territory, and also the first generation of conventional submarines designed and built by China itself.
With the joint promotion of the Ministry of Transport, the Navy Equipment Department, and the Shanghai Municipal People's Government, and with the coordination of the municipal and district governments, the retired submarine "Great Wall 191" successfully settled in Dock No. 3. Based on this, the Shanghai Submarine Exhibition Hall was constructed, which also serves as the "Huangpu Branch of the China Maritime Museum". After six months of submarine repair and environmental improvement in the surrounding area, the Bund Investment Group has completed the first phase of the exhibition, providing exhibition display, social education, cultural activities, and related supporting services.
The reporter saw that the "Great Wall 191" submarine, with a red hull and a black top, was quietly parked at Dock 3, very imposing. The water landscape design at the bottom of the dock was specially hired by a Finnish design company, presenting gradually undulating terrain and changes in water levels, truly restoring the historical style of the dock.
The visit inside the submarine is the highlight. "Entering the interior of the submarine, many people's first impression is that the interior space is very narrow and compact. Being inside, there is a sense of oppression, only a few steps wide from left to right, and when walking, one must bend their head sideways. Our crew members live and work in such a harsh environment for several months," said the exhibition hall manager. The most interesting aspect of submarines is the command module. This is the cabin where the submarine captain is located. The commander analyzes the situation here and issues orders to each cabin and combat area at any time. Therefore, here you can see sonar, radar, periscopes, shooting controllers, and many other devices that were only seen in combat movies in the past.
In addition to visiting the real interior of the ship, the operator also created a display area, which combines education and entertainment through a large number of graphic and textual display boards and technological means. During the visit, visitors were asked how many cabins a submarine actually has? How can submarines achieve "stealth" in water?
At present, the Shanghai Submarine Exhibition Hall is only partially open for the first phase of the exhibition. In the vicinity of the Huangpu River in the shipyard, the second phase of the exhibition will be built in the future: a water building with a strong sense of design and history, which will better showcase the history and national defense culture of Chinese submarines.
Naliang Market provides more possibilities for waterfront space
Along the Huangpu Expo riverside, under the Nanpu Bridge, accompanied by the summer sunset, the Xiaohongshu "Road Life Festival" Naliang Small Market Market opened in a lively and bustling manner. 90000 plastic bottles form a 3-meter-high "giant maze", attracting people to take photos and check in. The LED lights suddenly lit up, turning the maze into a "blue ocean", bringing a cool summer. When entering the market, online celebrity Cong you bing and Michelin food competed on the same stage. Young people with Cong you bing and coffee have become the unique fireworks in the riverside market. When you're full, take a stroll through cultural and creative stalls, where you can find handmade items, creative stationery, and lifestyle accessories that are dazzling. Buy them all the way.
Binjiang public space has infinite possibilities. Since the beginning of this year, Huangpu District has explored ways to organize unique cool market activities and activate the vitality of the waterfront space.
Here, the "Road Life Festival" has just come to an end at the Naliang Small Market Market; Over there, the new phase of the "Expo Song Garden Weekend Park Market" will open on September 1st. As the largest outdoor market in Huangpu District, the first phase of the "Expo Songyuan Weekend Park Market" was opened in July this year, and it quickly became popular. With Miaojiang Road as the axis, the "Expo Song Garden Weekend Park Market" has created a summer space that accommodates multiple elements such as dining, shopping, trendy outdoor sports, pets, etc. It not only attracts residents from surrounding communities, but also young people from other places to come specifically. Huangpu World Expo Binjiang, which was once roast about the lack of commercial atmosphere, has successfully held several cool markets this year, which are very popular. "It's rare to see such an open market in the center of Shanghai. Here, you can enjoy the cool and feel particularly comfortable," said the residents of this community.
The first market event will be sampled by the government. The leading party of the Expo Songyuan Weekend Park Market is the local street. At first, I encountered a problem with electricity usage: there were no basic electrical equipment around the site. On the one hand, the street contacted nearby enterprises to borrow electricity, and on the other hand, coordinated with relevant power companies to increase electricity, laying the necessary foundation for the construction of the market. The street and the operator work together to plan the content presented in the market. The unique sports and pet elements, coupled with the trendy pulse of young people, fully utilize the characteristics of the open area of Binjiang, making Binjiang Market stand out and successfully attracting crowds. Under a huge white sunshade umbrella, follow a professional teacher and listen to music to start an outdoor hot yoga session; On an open field, follow the coach and teammates to play a frisbee game and run recklessly; Strolling and eating with your beloved pets in the bustling market, experiencing uniqueness.
After the first successful market sampling, more activity applications flooded in, and Huangpu District made every effort to provide convenience for all parties in the market, and to do a good job in service and environmental maintenance.
The most important thing in activating the public space along the riverbank is to make the space willing to be used by the people.
On Miaojiang Road, some "night riders" ignored traffic regulations, ran red lights, drove in the opposite direction, and even rode on the motor vehicle lane, which was observed by relevant departments in Huangpu District. "Huangpu Binjiang itself has a cycling path along the river, as well as rest and drinking points, with complete facilities. The demand for leisure cycling is also in line with the original design intention of the waterfront space function. However, some cycling teams excessively pursue speed and ignore safety, making the atmosphere of night riding gradually fade," said the relevant person in charge of Huangpu District. In response to the hidden dangers of cycling groups, on the one hand, traffic police have dispatched extra police force to persuade non-standard cycling behavior and strengthen safety education for cycling organizers and groups; On the other hand, the Huangpu District Construction and Management Committee has carried out renovation and upgrading of the non motorized lane of the 5-kilometer circular road formed by the intersection of Miaojiang Road and Songyuan Road, paving it with red plastic cycling lanes to promote the concept of "slow traffic" through hardware upgrades.
The reporter learned that in the riverside section of the World Expo, Huangpu District is still planning to open up spaces such as pet zones and pulley zones to enrich the functions and connotations of the riverside space, meet the leisure needs of different age groups, and further stimulate the vitality of the riverside space.
