From Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts Settling in Caohejing to Witnessing the Dream-Gathering Moment in West Xuhui

In Shanghai’s technological and innovation landscape, Caohejing stands out as one of the most dynamic zones. Leading companies such as SenseTime, Minimax, and ZhuiShi Technology have established operations here, making it a hub for cutting-edge industries including artificial intelligence, integrated circuits, and digital cultural creativity. With a workforce of 310,000, the area thrives around the clock, becoming a key growth engine for Xuhui District.Amid such an industrial ecosystem, new urban spaces are being endowed with higher expectations: not only to support business growth but also to provide comprehensive living environments for tech professionals. “Dream Live” , a 600,000-square-meter mixed-use project, has officially announced its name. The name embodies the aspiration of “making dreams come true” while emphasizing the “LIVE TO DREAM” lifestyle: a place where work, life, entertainment, and creation intertwine, making dreams tangible in everyday experiences.The project applies a forward-looking concept of industrial-urban integration, combining approximately 240,000 square meters of tech-focused office space, around 100,000 square meters of panoramic commercial areas, and roughly 90,000 square meters of rental residences into a multi-functional urban ecosystem that operates across all hours. Notably, recently, Shanghai’s leading cosmetics group, Shanghai Jahwa United, signed a lease for Tower 4 of Dream Live, occupying around 35,000 square meters. This deal marks one of the largest office leases in Shanghai in 2023 and serves as a milestone for Dream Live’s market debut.

For a headquarters-based company rooted in the cosmetics industry, site selection requires balancing location value, spatial quality, and supporting infrastructure. Shanghai Jahwa’s move reflects the distinctive appeal of Dream Live.To understand how West Xuhui “gathers dreams,” we need to look back at Caohejing’s story, which began in the 1980s. As one of China’s first national-level development zones, it transformed from a heavily industrialized area into a central force in Shanghai’s tech corridor. Today, within its 5.984 square kilometers, it hosts over 15,500 domestic and international enterprises, more than 150 Fortune 500 investment projects, and over 150 listed companies, generating annual revenues exceeding RMB 684.4 billion.Caohejing now concentrates multinational corporations, leading industry players, and high-level tech innovation projects across electronics, new materials, biomedicine, high-end equipment, environmental and renewable energy, and automotive R&D. Within a three-kilometer radius, there are nearly 600 residential communities and proximity to high-quality educational and medical institutions, including Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and Shanghai Sixth People’s Hospital. Dream Live serves as a convergence point for technology, culture, and ambition, with Shanghai Jahwa’s early signing signaling the transformation of this “city of dreams” from blueprint to reality.

According to industry insights, Shanghai Jahwa chose Dream Live for three core advantages:Location and transportation benefits: Dream Live sits atop Guilin Road Station, connecting Lines 9 and 15, with easy walking access to Line 12. The project features four direct metro exits, seamlessly linking to the subway. Coupled with five major urban expressways — Inner Ring, Middle Ring, Humin, North-South, and Yan’an — it takes just 10 minutes to reach Shanghai South Railway Station and 30 minutes to Hongqiao Hub, providing comprehensive access across the city and the Yangtze River Delta, meeting the high standards of efficiency and convenience demanded by headquarters enterprises.Leading office offerings: With 240,000 square meters of space, Dream Live includes two premium-grade office towers, two Grade-A buildings, and one headquarters tower. The premium office meets LEED Gold certification, and all buildings comply with the Two-Star Green Building Standard. Lobbies feature 12-meter-high ceilings, and standard floors have a net height of 3.1 meters, offering flexible, column-free layouts. Material choices include Italian mosaic art walls, Spanish and Turkish imported marble for elevator lobbies, U.S. carpets in public areas, and exterior aluminum panels and white marble walls with a century-old finish, creating an enduring aesthetic.Policy support, talent pool, financial backing, and innovation ecosystem: These factors combine to create a “magnetic effect” attracting top-tier enterprises.

In 2023, Caohejing Development Zone ranked first among medium-sized parks in Shanghai’s comprehensive evaluation. It led in four sub-indices, including industrial development and business environment, and topped nine professional evaluation indices, reflecting continuous industrial growth and high management standards.Shanghai Jahwa’s choice highlights Dream Live’s advantages in location, product quality, and ecosystem, while also validating Caohejing’s industrial-urban integration approach. With premium offices driving growth, Dream Live is fostering the rise of a future-ready city.The overall 600,000-square-meter project is positioned as a “new landmark for industrial-urban integration, a gateway for smart technology, a hub for frontier experiences, and a model for quality living.” For enterprises, it boosts operational efficiency and brand prestige. High-standard office infrastructure supports effective, stable operations, while being part of a landmark development enhances brand image through association with the innovation-driven neighborhood, providing natural credibility in interactions with clients, partners, and talent.Dream Live integrates office and commercial functions with elevated connectivity, including skybridges on the second and third floors and underground passages linking sectors seamlessly. This design extends the user experience: office employees can enjoy nearby cafes or exhibitions during breaks, while the evening brings restaurants, fitness, and leisure amenities.

With over 1,500 rental apartments and supporting educational and cultural facilities, tech professionals can live efficiently and comfortably. The synergy of work, consumption, and living ensures true alignment between industrial development and daily life.Dream Live is more than a business complex; it represents a new urban prototype that integrates multiple functions into a cohesive “future city.”Creating a human-centered innovation ecosystem: Silicon Valley, often synonymous with high-tech, demonstrates that the strength of an innovation hub lies not just in enterprise concentration. Leveraging Stanford University’s research base, Silicon Valley merges work and life into a thriving entrepreneurial community: from labs to cafes, venture capital to public spaces, innovation interweaves with daily life, forming a complete ecosystem.Caohejing, after decades of industrial accumulation, is pursuing a similar path. Dream Live extends the daily life of tech professionals beyond office walls through open public spaces, vibrant night zones, and neighborhood-style layouts, ensuring entrepreneurs experience the city’s energy in afternoon coffee breaks or evening strolls.For enterprises, this is significant: Dream Live offers operational efficiency, high-standard infrastructure, and diverse commercial and social spaces for brand launches, client engagement, and team interaction — a unique “office as display, daily life as connection” advantage.In the future, Caohejing may be remembered not just as an industrial powerhouse, but as the home of Dream Live — a complex where “technology becomes daily life, and industry integrates seamlessly into living,” further embedding innovation into Shanghai’s urban fabric.