Shanghai’s Qingpu district showcased a blend of ancient heritage and modern openness on April 26 at Milan Design Week, presenting itself as “Shanghai’s place of origin” and a “world living room” for international exchange.
The “Ciao Qingpu — World Living Room” themed event was held at Largo Augusto, a central Milan landmark, as part of the “Shanghai in My Mind 2026 — Spring Shanghai” pop-up series.
Leveraging one of the world’s most influential design events, which attracts hundreds of thousands of industry professionals and millions of visitors, Qingpu offered an immersive, multi-sensory cultural experience.
The installation transformed a newsstand into a “Spring Shanghai” pavilion, combining floral design, art displays, and storytelling to create a striking urban exhibition space. Through visual, auditory, olfactory, taste, and tactile elements, visitors were invited to explore Qingpu’s evolution over 6,000 years.
Known as the birthplace of Shanghai’s civilization, Qingpu traces its roots to the ancient Songze culture, where early settlers cultivated rice and laid the foundations of Jiangnan culture. Today, the district is home to historic water towns such as Zhujiajiao and serves as the permanent host of the China International Import Expo (CIIE).
During the event, officials introduced Zhujiajiao as a model of balancing heritage preservation with modern urban development. The launch of the 2026 Zhujiajiao International Art Season and the 10th International Youth Ink Art Competition further underscored Qingpu’s commitment to global cultural exchange.
“A core area of the Hongqiao International Opening-Up Hub, (Qingpu district) is focusing on sectors such as exhibitions, outbound services, fashion consumption, and technological innovation,” said Shi Caifeng, deputy department director of the Shanghai Qingpu New City Office.
“The district has attracted the headquarters of more than 30 companies … and plans to guide more local enterprises to expand overseas investment,” Shi said.
The event resonated with local participants. “It’s a wonderful thing to see the Chinese community come together, especially with children, who represent pure joy and help bring people closer,” said Michela Gibillini, a Milan-based artist invited to teach calligraphy. “That sense of unity is something every community could learn from.”
