Initially, the Shanghai Xintiandi project met fierce criticism due to many people's misunderstanding of its innovative nature and early difficulties associated with the project. Thanks to the determination of the management of Shui On Group -- the principal investor of Shanghai Xintiandi -- the project came to its full realization in mid-2001, and soon after became the focus of Shanghai's international dining, fashion, entertainment and tourist community.

What makes Shanghai Xintiandi a winning concept? Many cities around the world have their own landmark architecture set in old districts that were renovated into famous tourist spots. Mr. Vincent H S Lo, chairman of the Shui On Group, believed that Shanghai in the 21st century would become an important international metropolis. Shanghai Xintiandi provided an answer for preserving the old architecture of Shanghai that would be representative of its historical and cultural heritage. The Shui On Group raised the new idea of Shikumen conversion as early as in 1997: To abandon the residential function of Shikumen, and promote its role as a business district, turning the centennial antique quarter into a world full of vitality, vigor and cultural prestige. Breaking ground in 1999, the entire project had an expected budget of US$150 million. The first stage, Xintiandi Plaza, was completed in late 2001.

Today, Xintiandi Plaza has already become a new Shanghai landmark. Containing 30,000 square metres and with a gross floor area of 60,000 square metres, the blocks of Shikumen buildings, with their preserved original walls and tiles, give tourists a unique feel of walking the bustling Shanghai streets of the 1920s and 30s. Inside every building-which may house a stylish international gallery, a trendy haute boutique, a theme restaurant, a fashionable cafe or a bar-everything is designed to keep pace with an exciting, modern lifestyle that is becoming vastly synonymous with the city of Shanghai. The marvelous Shikumen courtyard outside and the gleaming modernity inside strike a curious but charming contrast, shuttling customers between the past and the present. What's more, the assortment of street performances, the exciting promotions and first-rate events place Shanghai Xintiandi at the top of Shanghai's places to be, with its urban vitality and celebration of life.

Shanghai Xintiandi has rewritten the history of Shikumen, salvaging it from decay and revitalizing it with a new modernity. Today Shanghai Xintiandi has become the place of choice for local people, visitors from the mainland, and tourists from abroad who long to sample this glorious city's past and its dramatic metamorphosis into a metropolis booming with international promise.