Beijing, China--(Newsfile Corp. - December 1, 2025) - On Monday, China News Service (CNS) promoted A Tour by a French Youth: Encountering Global Dreams on Shanghai West Bund, spotlighting his witness of the area's remarkable transformation from the site of a century-old cement plant into the most vibrant "Dream Center" of China's economic powerhouse.
A young French exploring on Shanghai's West Bund
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Boukili Hamza, a French professional living in Shanghai's Xuhui District, found the 11km-long waterfront area has become a "Dream Center", a blend of cultural depth reminiscent of Paris's Left Bank and the distinct freshness of Shanghai.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I33FgtiV8WM
This human-centered design has turned the West Bund into a stage for diverse ways of living, Hamza told CNS, while he encountered a cheerful "skateboarding dog" and its owner, learning that thoughtful spatial design has made the area pet-friendly.
At the FISEHOOD extreme sports park, Hezma also talked with an Olympic venue designer, Pascal, who noted that the West Bund already hosted various international competitions and became a dream destination for sports enthusiasts.
When meeting with Yichun Liu, a renowned Chinese architect who participated in designing the West Bund Dream Center, project Hezma realized the area's development has been driven by culture and art from its inception.
West Bund Dream Center of Shanghai, once the site of Asia's largest cement factory, has become a major adaptive reuse project into a dynamic cultural and leisure district.
A core principle to preserve industrial heritage has been practiced here: When former factory structures was repurposed into art centers, cultural venues, and flexible public spaces, they also need to foster subtle yet profound emotional connections, Liu told Hezma, stessing that the memory of Shanghai's industrial past, a century of natural evolution, and contemporary design has merged seamlessly in the area.
The area's development is now embracing AI as a new engine for growth, Liu added.
Contact information:
Organization: China News Service
Contact Person: Mr. Yulong Li
Email: Liyulong@Chinanews.com.cn
Website: www.chinanews.com.cn
Dateline City: Beijing, China
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