Yihao Wu
Practice02 / 04

Urban design

North Hongqiao Innovation District

A fragmented factory village becomes a connected innovation district where knowledge industries, transit, blue-green infrastructure, and public life share one implementation framework.

Aerial master plan of the North Hongqiao Innovation District organized around waterways and connected industry clusters
A district-scale framework links innovation clusters, transit, neighborhoods, and the Wusong River landscape.
Aerial view of research and office buildings beside a restored canal in North Hongqiao
Research, production, commerce, and waterfront public space meet within a walkable innovation campus.
Evening view of a cultural and commercial center connected by elevated paths across a canal
Culture and everyday recreation give the innovation district a public life after working hours.
Innovation campus buildings and public paths along a restored waterway
A blue-green mobility network connects workplaces with restored canals and civic landscapes.
Street-level view of active commercial frontages and research offices in North Hongqiao
Active ground floors and flexible research buildings support exchange between firms and the city.
Aerial view of a mixed-use innovation cluster with green roofs and public plazas
Compact mixed-use clusters create a recognizable address within the wider district.

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Project overview

From Factory Village to Innovation District: North Hongqiao

North Hongqiao sits at Shanghai’s metropolitan edge, close to the Hongqiao international transport hub and within a landscape of canals, villages, and incremental industrial development. In Xingfu Village, roughly 183 hectares held 502 households, more than 100 small industrial firms, and around 25,000 migrant residents. The challenge was therefore larger than physical renewal: it required a credible path through fragmented ownership, uneven industrial performance, ecological damage, and the everyday economies already rooted on the site.

The plan organizes North Hongqiao as an innovation district of seven complementary clusters for advanced services, intelligent manufacturing, research, and commerce, all linked by transit-oriented access. A blue-green network repairs canals and river edges, while mixed-use streets, talent housing, cultural programs, and selective reuse support a lively 24-hour district. A district-scale implementation platform coordinates land assessment, public consultation, infrastructure, and parcel-level design across phases, translating the spatial vision into a flexible, deliverable framework.

Year
2021–2023
Location
Shanghai, China
Type
Urban design
Status
Under construction
Project team
Yihao Wu · Yang Liu · Junpeng Yang
Next projectYangpu Waterfront