Chongqing - A new historical and cultural block, "Xiahaoli" in Longmenhao Old Street in Nan'an District, will be opened this month, vividly highlighting the traditional humanistic style of Chongqing city.

The rendering of the upgraded Longmenhao historical and cultural block. (Photo provided to iChongqing)

As Chongqing opened its port in 1891, Longmenhao block was the most prominent gathering place for foreign business people in Chongqing in the old days. The block was earliest exposed to Western culture and absorbed the elements of Western-style buildings. One after another, most fusion buildings, such as foreign firms, hospitals, and villas, are built in the Xiahao street area. They are mixed with the characteristics of the traditional wooden structure of the mountainous city, becoming the beautiful scenery along the city's river bank.

Xiahaoli was once the busiest old town road in the city. With the rapid development of Chongqing as a modern metropolis, Xiahaoli and even the entire Longmenhao gradually faded from people's vision. However, this new block restores the real-life portrayal of ordinary Chongqing people.

The old picture of Xiahao's old street. (Photo provided to iChongqing)

The upgraded Longmenhao historical and cultural block has integrated Chinese-style building elements, such as gabled roofs, hip roofs, and suspension roofs, with Western characteristics, such as a dormer, Greek Order, and Western-style courtyards. Unlike the typical old street style, "Chongqing Household·Xiahaoli" will display the intact type of Chinese and Western architecture, such as the French Compagnie Olivier, the former site of Wuchang Zhonghua University, the Belgian Consulate, and the Wen Family Courtyard.

The upgraded Longmenhao historical and cultural block. (Photo provided to iChongqing)

In addition, it organically integrated cultural and artistic content with new consumer brands. Those contents are placed beside the stream trails, among the tea shops in the mountains, and in front of the cultural preservation buildings so that visitors can immerse themselves in the profound humanistic texture of the city.

"Chongqing Household·Xiahaoli" adopted the curatorial business co-creation model for the first time, inviting many locals and more than 70 domestic designers, artists, and cross-media creative teams to represent its culture. They have selected and customized 29 cultural and art IPs in the 7,000 square meters. Whether art installations, independent magazine exhibitions, new media exhibitions, home figurines, medicinal coffee, Chinese food, or Western food, every corner is inspired by the cultural background of Xiahao's old street and the city.