eugeneahn
Old neighborhood, new shops
Many parts of Shanghai are labyrinthine walkways that wind through a mash of dark brown brick buildings, windows and balconies jutting out here and there in Escheresque fashion -- telltale signs of building on the go. Mixed-use development now takes shape in a number of neighborhoods in a way that expresses what kind of culture this city wants to embrace. In particular, artist studios, boutiques, fashionable designer restaurants, and cafes are taking over the street-level occupancies, while residents continue to live decidedly ordinary lives in back or upstairs units. I walked all over these streets in an artsy district of Shanghai and not once passed a tailor, newsstand, keymaker, grocery store, or liquor store.
Old neighborhood, new shops
Many parts of Shanghai are labyrinthine walkways that wind through a mash of dark brown brick buildings, windows and balconies jutting out here and there in Escheresque fashion -- telltale signs of building on the go. Mixed-use development now takes shape in a number of neighborhoods in a way that expresses what kind of culture this city wants to embrace. In particular, artist studios, boutiques, fashionable designer restaurants, and cafes are taking over the street-level occupancies, while residents continue to live decidedly ordinary lives in back or upstairs units. I walked all over these streets in an artsy district of Shanghai and not once passed a tailor, newsstand, keymaker, grocery store, or liquor store.