A Showcase of Community Building@Xinhua Neighbourhood, Shanghai

In October 2024, Good Lab was invited to Shanghai for the “2024 Xinhua Community Design Conference,” organised by Big Fish Community Design Centre (“Big Fish”). The conference, themed “Impetus of Growth, Power of Community”, brought together changemakers and supporters all over the country to explore how to empower communities, ensure changemakers’ subjectivity, and drive social innovation through cross-sector collaboration.

Meanwhile, during the “Open Space” session, there are circles of discussions about the relationship between individuals and communities — to explore ways of interactions between supporters and the communities, self-identity through art, and the concept of happiness amid current challenges and its role in an uncertain future. Other discussions addressed challenges in community building projects, such as participatory public space design, coordination of diverse roles in the urban regeneration process, ensuring changemakers’ agency and the value of community building during resource scarcity.

• [2024 2024 Xinhua Community Design Conference [ Day 1, Day 2 recap]
• Ms Ada Wong, Good Lab’s Executive Chair, sharing of Hong Kong Experience in the Seminar
• Discussion Circles of Different Topics in “Open Topics Space”

Community Building Rooted in Xinhua Road

In addition to topic discussions, the neighbourhoods around the Xinhua Community Design Centre in Shanghai’s Changning District showcases how public life is nurtured. There are many surprises in the neighbourhood. Highlights include a “Community Park” for residents to discuss local issues, a “Toy Exchange House” loved by children, the community space enhancement as a result of the “1 Square Meter Initiative” where community space proposals are co-created, the “Pub HandyCup” promoting barrier-free access, and many other initiatives.

The Xinhua Community Design Centre is more than a venue for all these activities but a hub for social innovators. Here, passionate young people are making efforts to explore people-people and people-land relations in the city, addressing future challenges and their aspirations for the future.

Community Park

There are several components of the Community Part adjacent to the Community Design Centre：

(1) Discussion Benches – community members can discuss and co-create initiatives for collective wisdom and resources;
(2) Collaboration Plaza – people can prototype their communities initiatives here, allowing community projects and social innovations to grow through real feedback;
(3) Community Market – people can test prototypes of social innovation or local products; and
(4) Open Space – a left undefined space reserved for experimentation and improvisation.

Toy Excahnge House

The Toy Exchange House is transformed from a storage. Children in the community can donate their unused toys and select a toy in exchange. Additionally, there is a semi-outdoor area that offers space for trying out toys and playing games.

Pub HandyCup

Founded in Shanghai, Pub HandyCup is dedicated to promoting barrier-free access and inclusivity in commercial spaces and ecosystems.

Community in Hong Kong

Community building is a prominent topic in Hong Kong recently. It was discussed along with different urban challenges such as urban renewal and the Northern Metropolis etc. and approaches such as government- or developer-led projects to bottom-up initiatives from the community. Practitioners seem to be exploring unique approaches tailored to Hong Kong’s challenges.

While Big Fish’s experience in Shanghai offers valuable insights; the distinct social and cultural contexts of Hong Kong demand different strategies. In Xinhua, what we see is more than just a place or a beautiful neighbourhood, but a vibrant community of people. And this is something in common: how might we make connections, bring people together and build community for the people and together with the people?