Editor's note: Shanghai is promoting the development of the "youth economy", which encompasses products and services shaped by the lifestyles, preferences, and spending habits of younger consumers.

As part of this series, we showcase small and distinctive shops across the city that reflect how young people shop, socialize, and unwind today. This edition spotlights the M50 Creative Park in Putuo district.

M50 Creative Park

Located at No 50 Moganshan Road along Suzhou Creek, M50 Creative Park occupies the former site of a textile mill established in 1937. The park preserves about 41,000 square meters of industrial buildings dating from the 1930s to the 1990s, making it one of the most intact textile industrial heritage sites along the creek.

Since 2000, the park has shifted from manufacturing to a contemporary art and design cluster. It is among the earliest contemporary art parks in China and now brings together galleries, design studios, bookstores, cafes, and exhibition spaces within a preserved industrial setting.

Here are several highlights.

Bird Water Tower

Founded in September 2023, Bird Water Tower is located in Building 8 of M50 Creative Park. The structure was originally built in 1933 and reflects early industrial architecture in Shanghai. The renovation project received several international design awards in 2024, including honors from the Architecture MasterPrize and the Paris DNA Design Awards.

The cafe brings together coffee service, art displays, and spatial design within the restored structure. It has also gained a strong reputation among locals as a dog-friendly cafe and has become a popular stop for visitors exploring M50 Creative Park.

Address: Room 201, Building 8, No 50 Moganshan Road

Boyard

Founded in 1999, Boyard specializes in traditional Chinese study supplies. Originally located on Fuzhou Road, it was later relocated to M50 Creative Park. The shop offers ink, xuan paper (rice paper from Anhui province), brushes, and other calligraphy materials, while incorporating contemporary design elements into its product displays.

Boyard regularly organizes exhibitions featuring contemporary artists working in painting, calligraphy, and mineral pigment art. The space functions as both a retail shop and a small exhibition venue, drawing artists, students, and hobbyists seeking professional materials within an art-focused environment.

Address: Room 111, Building 8, No 50 Moganshan Road

Switcha

Switcha is a tea brand developed by furniture design label Chiotto. The space was formerly a power distribution station within the textile factory, and several original switch panels and mechanical components remain on site. The brand name references both the word "switch" and the pronunciation of "cha", linking the building's industrial past with tea culture.

Teas are sourced primarily from Fujian, Yunnan, and Guangdong provinces. Pairings draw on regional traditions, including Chaoshan-style pastries and kumquats commonly served with tea in Quanzhou, Fujian province. The first and second floors have distinct atmospheres, with different music selections and seating arrangements creating a more social setting downstairs and a quieter environment upstairs.

Address: Room 201, Building 5, No 50 Moganshan Road

Glassy Today

Glassy Today is a glass art studio and exhibition space. The name refers both to the material itself and to the Studio Glass Movement, which emphasizes artists directly participating in glassmaking rather than relying solely on factory production.

The studio offers hands-on workshops where visitors learn about glass properties, melting techniques, and forming processes. Finished works are displayed alongside the working area, allowing guests to observe the craft process and take part in it within the same space.

Address: Room 1F, Building 0, No 50 Moganshan Road

Qushui Space

Qushui Space presents a contemporary interpretation of traditional Chinese tea culture. The venue combines private tea rooms, cultural merchandise, art exhibitions, and craft workshops under one roof.

It recreates the ancient practice of Qushui Liushang, a gathering custom in which participants sit beside a winding stream and set cups of wine afloat on the flowing water. When a cup stops in front of someone, that person drinks.

At Qushui Space, the concept is adapted into an interactive tea installation. Teacups float along a curved water channel assembled from 3D-printed components and hand-finished surfaces, referencing classical landscape aesthetics.

Visitors can also try calligraphy, traditional painting, the Chinese guqin (a plucked seven-string instrument), weiqi (the ancient Chinese board game), or hanfu fitting.

Address: Room 101, Building 13, No 50 Moganshan Road

Sources: Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce and venues mentioned above