Ningbo's historic factory transformed into vibrant cultural hub

An old factory in Ningbo is transformed into a vibrant cultural hub. [Photo/Ningbo Daily]

After two years of renovations, a former factory in Ningbo, Zhejiang province has been transformed into a vibrant street block bustling with dining, shopping, and cultural delights. On its opening day, the new urban hotspot attracted many young visitors.

"Yongning Lane No 1" block is so-named due to its location on Nanyongning Lane in Haishu district. Occupying an area of nearly 5,000 square meters, it was once the Yongfeng Cloth Factory, established in 1958, which was the precursor to local fashion enterprise Beyond Group.

Renovations on the "industrial relic" commenced in 2022, and the new street block was opened on March 18.

"Our underlying principle is to preserve the original memory of the buildings and innovate on that basis," said Zheng Jiawei, manager of the block, "From a factory to a commercial area, we aim to preserve the vitality of the original factory, passing on the spirit of the older generation to the young."

A 68-year-old man named Zhang Min, who worked at the Yongfeng Cloth Factory for 40 years, visited the block on opening day.

"I never envisioned the old factory would take on a new role such as this. It's very meaningful to me." Zhang was satisfied to see scores of young visitors eager to explore and learn about the history of the factory.

The "Yongning Lane No 1" block hosts 30 brands in various sectors.

One store featuring a combination of film images and coffee store struck a particular chord with visitors.

"This fusion resonates well with contemporary trends and integrates with the block's overall ambiance and historical narrative," said the store manager.

Adding to the block's allure, renowned Shanghai-based comedy franchise Blue Comedy made its Ningbo debut. 

"Here, comedy draws inspiration from reality," said Wang Yongchao, founder of Blue Comedy, "We currently organize six to seven shows per week and plan to introduce stand-up comedy workshops in the future,"

On the opening day, an AI alliance was established to leverage the block as a testbed for AI commercialization, empowering brick-and-mortar businesses with AI technology.