Jing'an integrates West Nanjing Road, Suhewan into central activity zone

Shanghai's Jing'an district announced on May 28 that the West Nanjing Road and Suhewan functional areas have been integrated into a new central activity zone, or CAZ. It also launched the CAZ Next 2030 plan to guide the area's development over the next several years.

West Nanjing Road is known for its world-class commercial district, high-end business services, and headquarters economy, while Suhewan brings together cultural and artistic resources, public spaces, and waterfront creativity.

The integrated CAZ will build on the functions of a central business district while incorporating sectors such as culture, sci-tech innovation, residential life, and tourism, aiming to create a round-the-clock activity zone where work, consumption, leisure, culture, and daily life are closely connected.

The CAZ Next 2030 plan focuses on five areas: urban experience renewal, fashion commerce, shared vitality, future-oriented experiences, and global partnerships. It will also connect businesses based in office buildings, commercial brands, cultural institutions, professional service providers, media platforms, subdistricts and communities, the public, and global partners to co-create the area.

Over the next five years, Jing'an CAZ will develop what the district calls a "building economy 2.0" and promote functional upgrades of commercial office buildings.

Existing buildings will be encouraged to add shared spaces and incorporate functions such as startup incubation, open research and development, and product displays. The plan aims to integrate office work, consumption, social interaction, exhibitions, research and development, cultural creativity, sports, and wellness within vertical urban spaces.

The district has also introduced the first group of representative "CAZ Lounge" partner spaces, including the CR Land Center and the Jing An Kerry Centre.

Jing'an CAZ will continue to strengthen its advantages in product launches, debut shows, and first exhibitions, while encouraging commercial venues to become more theme-based and experience-oriented. The goal is to create more mixed-use spaces combining commerce, business, and public services, making commercial areas a part of urban life.

Technology will be a key feature of the Jing'an CAZ. Office buildings are set to serve as testing grounds for new technologies, while commercial spaces will showcase new products. Future-oriented experiences such as humanoid robots, smart wearables, and digital cultural tourism are expected to be among the first to become part of everyday life in the CAZ.