BEIJING, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- With gentle light, the aroma of coffee, and people strolling leisurely, Beijing's Dajixiang, a once-forgotten block of historic guild halls, has become a new photo and citywalk hotspot after nine years of urban renewal.
Dajixiang, a shopping complex in downtown Beijing's Xicheng District, offers a glimpse into China's urban renewal approach by integrating innovative space use, green technology and cultural preservation. It has evolved from a cluster of dilapidated houses into a vibrant mix of cultural, commercial and office spaces.
Despite multifaceted challenges at the outset, Dajixiang has gained considerable popularity since its opening. On its opening day in May 2025, it attracted more than 200,000 consumers, with cumulative visitors exceeding 20 million to date.
Urban renewal is not new in China -- the concept was noted at the Central Economic Work Conference in 2019. But the approach has since undergone a profound shift, from large-scale demolition to "needlework-style" micro-renovations.
In 2026, the State Council released an urban renewal plan for the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), outlining six major tasks ranging from fostering new development drivers and improving living spaces to advancing green transitions, enhancing urban safety and resilience, and boosting cultural vitality along with urban governance.
LOW-INPUT GROWTH
"I simply like the buildings here," said Zhu Li, who visits Dajixiang often. "They offer a mix of traditional aesthetics and modern style."
Unlike typical commercial blocks that maximize floor space, Dajixiang is smaller in area, with most of its commercial space located underground. Zhang He, a sales manager with China Overseas, the project's developer, said the design was actually a last resort.
Based on practical considerations and the goal of becoming a more people-centered city, Beijing implemented regulations in 2023 that strictly control large-scale demolition and new construction. The city has advocated low-input growth to enhance the living experience, while imposing restrictions on building height and floor area.
Against this backdrop, the Dajixiang project has strictly adhered to the city's "reduction-oriented development" requirements, scaling down its planned gross floor area from 550,000 to 360,000 square meters, while simultaneously reducing the building height limit from 60 to 45 meters. Faced with tight above-ground space, the project has turned to underground development.
Additionally, a three-tier stepped terrace and a grid of two north-south and three east-west passages have been incorporated to draw natural light and breeze into the underground area, resolving the common issues of dampness and stuffiness, according to Zhang.
GREEN TECHNOLOGY
China Overseas has also created Beijing's first large-scale commercial zero-carbon building on the project, using 19 technologies across four categories.
On the facade of Office Building No.1, black photovoltaic filaments are embedded across the glass curtain wall. "These filaments generate electricity efficiently without compromising natural lighting indoors, striking a perfect balance between functionality and environmental sustainability," Zhang said.
Inside the building, a ground-source heat pump system captures indoor heat in summer and stores it for winter heating, completely eliminating reliance on fossil fuels and offering a new pathway for low-carbon heating in the capital's core urban area.
"In summer alone, the system saves 113,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity, equivalent to reducing about 66 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions," Zhang added. "In winter, the building requires no heating from the municipal district heating network, significantly cutting its carbon footprint."
These technologies echo a broader national strategy. As Chinese leaders have pointed out, green development underpins high-quality growth and aligns with the need for a society-wide green transition. Once deployed more widely and at lower cost, such technologies could help cities make significant strides towards sustainability.
CULTURAL INTERSECTION
As a core area of Xuannan culture, Dajixiang has preserved historical buildings and cultural heritage sites dating from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) to the May Fourth Movement period (1910s-1920s). These landmarks have long been deeply woven into the fabric of the city and the everyday lives of its residents.
Zhang admitted that in the project's early days, the high costs of construction and heritage preservation placed tremendous pressure on the project team, yet they chose to press on and keep the project afloat.
"Our goal is to make the culture visible, tangible and practical, especially for young people," Zhang said. "We've formed a virtuous circle: cultural relics attract visitors, who then spend at the nearby business zone."
The efforts have paid off. More and more visitors are drawn to Dajixiang for its unique cultural richness, where they can unwind and soak in the atmosphere. "It cleverly bridges traditional culture with the modern 'live-in-the-moment' trend," said Harper Qiu, 26. "Tired of the fast-paced tech era, I love finding a quiet corner here to slow down."
Dajixiang, however, goes beyond simply offering cultural assets to view. It actively invites participation. Exhibitions, intangible heritage displays, stamp-rally activities, photo opportunities, festival performances, and creative markets all bring the district to life. Historical buildings and blocks are no longer relics behind glass; they have become living backdrops for everyday experience.
Zhang added that the project is now in talks to collaborate with directors and cultural heritage authorities on a series of immersive historical plays based on Xuannan culture and its iconic figures. Enditem
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