Architectural recycling

An increasing number of the city's old buildings are getting modern makeovers and industry experts believe that this trend is a valuable one that is here to stay

The Wukang Road area in Shanghai's Xuhui district can without doubt be ranked as one of the hippest locales in the city where gentrification has seemingly gone about unabated, with contemporary interior design breathing new life into many old buildings that are more than a century old. Many decades ago, the buildings in the area were actually used as a neighborhood kindergarten, a glove factory and office spaces.

This neighborhood is also home to Ferguson Lane, named after the American missionary John Ferguson who built the compound in 1907. Comprising several restaurants and cafes serving artisanal fare as well as home decor and fashion outlets catering to hipsters, this cozy complex used to be home to prominent diplomats in the country.