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This episode of the Urbanist is brought to you by arup. Arup, the firm behind some of the world's most iconic public and structural projects, works with leaders to plan and deliver the systems that shape how cities and societies function across transport, energy, water and buildings. Arup's approach to design is how complex decisions get made, seeing the whole picture and creating outcomes that work in the real world. Because the future does not just arrive, it's shaped by the choices we make today. Learn more at@arup.com Next Arup Design for what's Next.
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The left bank of the Suzhou Creek in China's financial hub of Shanghai has been undergoing a renovation of sorts recently. But how did this area of the city go from a relatively forgotten district to a sleek new food and commercial destination, as well as a sought after residential address, too? You're listening to Tall Stories, a Monocle production brought to you by the team behind the Urbanist. I'm Andrew Tuck. In this episode, Thomas Pinero explores the renaissance of Suzhou Creek's left bank.
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Winding through central Shanghai, Suzhou Creek is narrower and far more discreet than its better known sibling, the Huangpu river, where it meets its end. These two waterways once formed the backbone of the city, but it's the creek that is the cradle of its industrialization. The name comes from its 19th century role as a trading route to the then more sophisticated city of suzhou. By the 1930s, however, Shanghai had become one of Asia's most dynamic financial centers. Textile mews, factories and warehouses lined at the creek's edge, and steamboats and cargo vessels jostled with countless sumpans and houseboats on its waters. Unsurprisingly, Suzhou Creek became heavily polluted with fish vanishing entirely from its urban stretch and the water turning black. This stench was so pervasive that it ended the moniker the smelly river. Conditions remained dire until the late 90s, when a project to restore its ecology got underway. This later expanded into a waterfront regeneration program, featuring a continuous public pathway with parks and community spaces no more than 500 meters apart. Another move was to adapt the industrial heritage into creative hubs. A stroll downstream along the left bank brings us past most of these repurposed buildings. A good starting point is the former bank of Communications warehouse. It now houses design and fashion studios above, with restaurants and a cocktail bar lining the former cartway below. Next door, another former warehouse is now Shanghai's outpost of fotografisca. The photographic work is set above, while the ground floor opens to the street with a lobby that's always full of life and Mona, a restaurant blending Chinese and Western traditions. On Wednesdays, the rooftop lounge hosts jazz bands evoking the vibe of old Shanghai, minus the tuxedos and qipaos. The mood shifts at the former Sihang Warehouse. During the Battle of Shanghai, when Japanese forces advance into the city, Suzhou Creek became a frontline. For roughly a week, a battalion of around 400 Chinese men held out inside the warehouse, fending off repeated waves of attacks. Today the site is a museum dedicated to the battle. Its most affecting display remains outside the monolithic, windowless western wall that still bears the scars of shellfire. Keep moving east and Soure House, a building with bold Art Deco steps massing comes into view. It is home to several contemporary art galleries. They at times lend the Left bank skyline a playful, almost absurdist edge, with art installations taking over the facade. Along the Left bank, the Embankment Building is impossible to miss. This vast apartment block was built in the 30s for foreign, largely Western, residents. At the time, the city's core was still divided into foreign concessions, most notably the French, British and American. Later, the building served as a welcome shelter for Jewish refugees fleeing the Nazis. The Embankment Building is now home to a broad mix of residents, locals and expats of all ages and backgrounds. Nearby is Shenyu Li, a classic Shukumen neighborhood. These are rows of brick townhouses blending Chinese and Western elements. After the Revolution, homes were subdivided into small, cramped apartments to house entire families. That meant daily life spilled into the alleyways where cooking, dining and rounds of mahjong took place shoulder to shoulder in the open air. Today, the restored buildings house not families but high end Chinese restaurants. The alleyways are clean and quiet, and a shopping complex sits nearby, largely concealed on the ground. To its credit, right at the confluence of Suzhou Creek and the Huanpo river is the Broadway Main, an Art Deco hotel in the shape of an ancient ziggurat. For a few years after the Second World War, it housed the Foreign Correspondents Club of China, a crowd famous for throwing surreal parties in the heart of the Civil War. Photographer Henri Cartier Bresson lived in the hotel in 1949, the year of the Communist Revolution. Good timing for Bresson at the with fewer tourists than the more famous Bund waterfront, Suzhou Creek moves at a gentle pace that's inviting for cyclists and joggers. Community life unfolds around multi use centers, clearly marked with the CCP insignia, with event spaces, sporting facilities and open areas where people, mostly the elderly, take part in lively square dancing sessions. To the sound of Chinese electronic pop. With water quality recovered, the fish have returned to the waters and with them angling. The revival has stirred some debate within the community. Some oppose the practice over concerns about flying hooks and, ironically, full alders. The defenders, mostly retired local grandpas, fixers of the riverbank, insist fishing is essential to staying active and keeping boredom at bay. What else are they supposed to do with their time? They ask. One can hardly argue with that.
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Tall Stories is a monocle production from the team behind the Urbanist. This episode was written by Thomas Pineiro and produced and edited by David Stevens. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to receive new episodes every week. I'm Andrew Tuck. Goodbye and thank you for listening. City lovers Sam.