I Could Wander Here All Day – Dongxin Hechuang Creative Park

I have wandered through quite a few creative parks in Hangzhou, but Dongxin Hechuang Creative Park is the first one that made me feel that a single visit is nowhere near enough. It sits next to Xixi Wetland and used to be the old factory complex of Oriental Communications Group, known to old Hangzhou locals as the 522 Post and Telecommunications Factory. The site covers about 123 mu and keeps 61 low rise factory buildings and more than a thousand tall trees. After more than fifty years of wind and rain, these structures and trees were not torn down. They were kept almost intact and slowly brought back to life by the designers and brands that moved in later.

The old brick walls, iron gates and concrete beams are still there, but inside you now find furniture stores, fashion labels, cafés, restaurants and exhibition spaces. It feels like someone put a new heart into the old skeleton of Hangzhou. The city itself is full of contrasts. On the one hand you get the gentle history and slow life that it shares with Suzhou. On the other hand the internet industry and startup wave keep pushing everything forward. Dongxin Innovation Park is the perfect slice of that tension. On this slightly conflicted ground, old factories and new ideas, comfort and cutting edge, nostalgia and a sense of the future all sit side by side. A few laps around the park and you can clearly feel the energy that comes from this clash.

The real surprise lies in the actual shops and spaces. YIYU feels more like an art gallery than a store and is made for people whose taste has already leveled up. The curation is cool and restrained. Every object seems to say that it is not cheap but it has a story. It is the kind of beauty you only understand when you walk closer, touch it and take your time. In the same area you will find a line up of furniture and lifestyle brands such as Fanji, MUMO, Yikaogong, ZHIJIA and Yemu. Warm wood and quiet objects slow you down the moment you walk in. You do not have to buy anything. Just looking around or sitting for a while is enough to make you feel that everyday life could be treated with more care.

If you are into clothing, you can also check out labels like Zhilan, The Engineer, C O R ATELIER, KUOER and IN THE RANGE. Overall they feel low key and wearable, yet each one carries a slightly rebellious streak. They are made for people who do not want to be defined by big logos but still care a lot about quality and texture.

Coffee and food deserve their own slot in your schedule. The vintage café ARTISTSAN with its deer head has basically become a symbol of Dongxin Hechuang Park. The first floor is a moody coffee space. Upstairs is packed with vintage pieces and objects sourced from abroad. The staff told me that many of them were shipped back from the United States in full containers. Wherever you look, you see traces of time. Beyond that, there are spots like Zili Coffee, Chaimiduo Restaurant, Pasture Letters, Qingse and Yixiang Antique Restaurant that are worth taking slowly. A proper meal, a cup of coffee, a slice of cake and the shadows of trees outside the window are often enough to make you feel that you have switched from office mode to retirement mode for a while.

If you care about photos, this is almost heaven for film and film simulations. The concrete walls of the old factories and the remaining industrial pipes are wrapped in lush greenery, turning the whole place into a midsummer daydream. Some shops hang long strings of white shell decorations from the ceilings that sway gently whenever there is a breeze. Take out your phone, shoot a few seconds of slow motion video and it already looks like a little art film.

So if you are wondering where to go in Hangzhou and you want more than the usual checklist of attractions, Dongxin Hechuang Creative Park is one of the best places to go in Hangzhou.