Red Town tour: More than meets the muse

These once dusty and abandoned remnants of Shanghai No. 10 Steel factory now house some of the trendiest creative digs around. While art reigns supreme at Red Town (红坊国际文化艺术社区), and is impossible to miss, creativity of various forms can be found there too and is sure to satisfy many tastes. 

1. Shanghai Sculpture Space (上海城市雕塑艺术中心)

Red Town’s original tenant, this early 20th century steel-making factory sat empty for years before re-emerging in Shanghai’s art scene in 2005. Boasting wide open spaces (inside and out) and an ever-changing collection of modern Chinese sculpture, this spot alone could easily fill a few hours of mid-day pondering.

A rare added incentive for a Shanghai tourist spot: it’s free.
570 Huaihai Xi Lu, near Hongqiao Lu 淮海西路570号, 近虹桥路, +86 21 6280 5629, www.sss570.com

2. BECA Cafe & Bar

This laid back and stylish locale serves up affordable fusion eats and comfort favorites with a special knack for the almighty crepe. Add to that daily lunch and drink specials and all-day weekend breakfasts and there will be plenty of reasons to laze the afternoon or evening away here, making the space a draw for local artists and creatives.

In your creative daze, just be sure to leave room for the irresistible house favorite, chocolate lava cake baked-to-order with a scoop of ice-cream on the side (with a mozzarella cheese option for those more daring palates).

"BECA, located quietly in the center of Shanghai's art community," says owner Jewels Lewis, "is a casual neighborhood café inspired by art -- the art of living."
C6, 570 Huaihai Xi Lu, near Hongqiao Lu, 淮海西路570号红坊C6区, 近虹桥路, +86 21 6280 7232

3. The Wedding by La Vie

This ultra chic bridal boudoir brings an artistic vision to every girl's special day with custom-made couture. Hardly for the budget bride, basic dresses run from RMB 12,000-48,000, and custom dress prices are only given on request.

Stemming from Shanghai’s first ‘new-concept design’ studio opened in 2002 by Shanghai fashion design powerhouse Jenny Ji, this mini boutique and respected label is now one of several branches across Shanghai, Hangzhou and Beijing.
Rm. 102, Area C7, 570 Huaihai Xi Lu, near Hongqiao Lu 淮海西路570号C7区102室, 近虹桥路 +86 21 6282 5036, www.lavie.com.cn

4. Club Hero

Not exactly traditional art, but Club Hero offers 'art for the body' with Muay Thai to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing to wrestling and MMA. This fusion of fitness-meets-martial arts offers private training and classes in just about any discipline as well as MT-X Cross-training, all by a team of fully certified champion trainers.

The 1,000 square meter-plus space has full weight training facilities and a boxing ring as well as juice bar, café and sauna. It also has special ladies-only and family classes.

“Fun and effective, our international instructor team offers you interactive group training plus one-on-one training and an unconventional and challenging fitness methods,” says general manager Han Ke (韩克). “Our training will improve your strength, speed, body shape, self-confidence and more including practical self-defense skills. To be a fighter or an artist? You don't have to choose.”
B104, 570 Huaihai Xi Lu, near Hongqiao Lu 淮海西路570号红坊 B104单元, 近虹桥路, +86 21 6127 1551

5. Minsheng Art Museum (民生现代美术馆)

By far Red Town’s largest space (4,000 square meters), this non-profit art project funded by big brother beneficiary China Minsheng Bank houses an inspiring treasure trove of contemporary Chinese art.

Gracing Shanghai with its presence just one month ago (after a lengthy soft opening), its current exhibition, Thirty Years of Chinese Contemporary Art (1979-2009) -- a collective project three years in the making with support from the art community nationwide –- is likely to impress even the most skeptical of modern art lovers.

Zhou Tiehai, executive director of the museum, explains its mission: “The Minsheng Art Museum subscribes to free, independent, inclusive and open academic concepts, with the long-term goals of establishing an art museum of international excellence; of supporting, as a private system whose practice enjoys the advantage of state encouragement, the continuing in-depth and vigorous development of Chinese contemporary art; of expanding the activity, which China at present urgently needs to strengthen, of popularizing the aesthetics of contemporary Chinese art to meet the needs of the general social public; and to expand the depth and comprehensiveness of international academic exchange activities."
Bldg F, No. 570 Huaihai Xi Lu, near Kaixuan Lu 淮海西路570号F楼, 近凯旋路, +86 21 6282 8729, www.minshengart.org

6. MAO Livehouse Shanghai

Those jaded Shanghai residents and music aficionados who’ve truly seen it all (or at least claim to), can get a true dose of live tunes and ear-ringing ambiance stretching into the wee hours.

Boasting one of the best sound systems for live music in Shanghai and a tiered venue designed for live music lovers, this 800-capacity concert hall has the basic recipe right.

Also sharing this music space is "an alternative record shop" affiliated with the beloved 0093 collective. Mao Livehouse Shanghai is managed by Yan Yang aka Lezi, drummer of Sonnet and former member of The Mushrooms.

It's not a nightly affair (the neighbors just wouldn’t have it), so be sure to check nightlife listings for upcoming performances by Chinese and international names.
Bldg 32, 570 Huaihai Xi Lu, near Hongqiao Lu 淮海西路570号32楼, 近虹桥路, +86 21 5258 9999, www.maolive-sh.com

7. Lei Art Studio

Owner and accomplished artist Zhang Lei is passionate about creating a versatile learning environment for budding artists of all ages. Her small, personalized classes go beyond simply teaching technique, also supplying regular student feedback, skills certificates and art shows for proud artists (some as young as four) to show off their talent.

“I want my studio to be a like an art family,” says owner and artist, Zhang Lei. “Both children and adults are all so busy during the week either with work or homework. These classes give them a chance to use their imagination, to relax and, most importantly, to communicate in another language; the language of art.”
Bldg 123, RedTown, 570 Huaihai Xi Lu, near Hongqiao Lu 淮海西路570号123楼, 近虹桥路, +86 21 6280 1737, leiartstudio@126.com

8. JOYCE Warehouse

What’s a true artsy locale without a fashion fix or two?

This famously trendy Hong Kong fashion and lifestyle behemoth (spanning from ready-to-wear labels and accessories to home ware, flowers and cosmetics) had been dressing Hong Kong ladies in cutting edge labels since the early 1970s before branching north into the mainland.

As one of the most influential specialty retailers worldwide that still shows no signs of stopping, why wouldn’t you want to take a peek inside?
D101-102, 570 Huaihai Xi Lu, near Hongqiao Lu 淮海西路570号 D101-102单元, 近虹桥路, +86 21 5230 6573.

9. Jingsheng Flower Market

When the call of the green beckons, this Red Town neighbor is definitely mention worthy.

Although no comparison to Jing’an flower mecca Caojiadu (1148 Changshou Lu, near Yuyao Lu 长寿路1148号, 近余姚路), Jingsheng Flower Market's 100 plus vendors, mainly specializing in bulk fresh and artificial flowers, mini-potted house plants and full-sized trees, have never been known to refuse a sale.

Not only for flowers, the market also sells other fun, kitschy bits like year-round holiday decorations, fluorescent arches and your very own Roman, living room pillars -- all just screaming to make a statement in your home.
123 Anshun Lu, near Kaixuan Lu 安顺路123号, 近凯旋路

getting there

Red Town 红坊国际文化艺术社区
570 Huaihai Xi Lu, near Kaixuan Lu
淮海西路570号, 近凯旋路
+86 21 6281 7382
www.redtown570.com