Shanghai's Jiading district has added two new venues to its thriving "culture loop" surrounding the Yuanxiang Lake. The recently opened Yuanxiang Cultural Center and Jiangnan Bookstore offer visitors a rich and immersive cultural experience.
The Yuanxiang Cultural Center. [Photo/jiading.gov.cn]
At the Yuanxiang Cultural Center, guests can explore a range of local intangible heritage items and creative cultural products. The center aims to provide comprehensive public services and features a variety of experiential functions. Visitors can also enjoy a virtual reality exhibition showcasing traditional Chinese opera, as well as an interactive digital display of paintings from the iconic Chinese novel "The Water Margin."
The Jiangnan Bookstore. [Photo/jiading.gov.cn]
The architecture of the Jiangnan Bookstore is designed to resemble a sage with his eyes open. This innovative skylight design allows an abundance of natural light to flood the interior spaces. The bookstore aims to combine traditional reading experiences with coffee culture and creative events and become a new cultural landmark in Jiading.
These new additions are part of Jiading's initiative to create the Yuanxiang Lake Culture Loop. When completed, the loop will consist of 10 architectural miniatures and will be complemented by the existing Jiading Library and Shanghai Poly Grand Theater. This leisure space will offer a diverse range of cultural activities and attractions.