The Tai Lai Fang urban renewal project, located at Jiangning Road and Aomen Road in Putuo District, has been unveiled. This old lanes and alleys complex, which holds memories of 1930s Shanghai, has undergone a two-year renovation, attracting the renowned Marriott International Group.
Tai Lai Fang, built in the 1930s, is a quintessential example of late-era Shikumen architecture in Shanghai. For nearly a century, it served as residential housing and street-side shops but gradually faded with time. To revive urban memories and improve residents' lives, the Shanghai West Enterprise Group initiated a "surgical" renovation under the coordination of Putuo District.
According to Shao Zilong, deputy manager of the Urban Renewal Department at West Enterprise Group, the Shikumen architectural style of Tai Lai Fang is quite distinctive. Located near Putuo's "Half Marathon Suzhou Creek," the area is surrounded by commercial buildings, mature businesses, and numerous residential communities. The renovation plan follows the principles of "preserving block texture, reshaping architectural style, inheriting historical memory, and revitalizing urban vitality." The project began in September 2022 and was completed in November 2024.
The developer has integrated three main streets with a north-south landscape axis to create outdoor spaces featuring Shikumen characteristics. The project is primarily designed for hotel functions, with commercial spaces along the street.
The most notable aspect of the renovated Tai Lai Fang is the entry of the renowned Marriott International Group, which has named the hotel Putuo MOXY, a boutique lifestyle brand under Marriott International, tailored for millennial travelers. The hotel is now in the final stages of interior decoration and is scheduled to open in April.
Outside the hotel, some street-side shops have been retained, focusing on convenience stores, cafes, bakeries, and specialty local snacks to enrich the lives of nearby residents and provide diverse options for hotel guests.
"The hotel design emphasizes a Shanghai industrial style, retaining unique industrial elements like factory-themed graffiti and sawtooth decorations. Guests will be able to touch the bricks of 1930 while feeling the heartbeat of 2025," said an official from the hotel brand.
