Happy Gathering: A Cultural Hub
The original site of Happy Gathering was the Shanghai Rubber Research Institute, which was later transformed into a cultural landmark by designer Huang Quan. The design of Happy Gathering, a popular internet celebrity check-in spot, attracts many literary youth and trendsetting individuals.
Happy Gathering spans three floors, not absolutely separated but designed with a ‘mezzanine’ style, functionally divided into five major areas: books, clothing, cultural and creative products, coffee and light food, and activities.
The first floor is dedicated to selling brand-name clothing, with coffee shop spaces near the window and door, inviting visitors to enjoy a cup of coffee after shopping. The second floor features a large selection of foreign magazines on fashion, culture, and food, displayed in a row of desks at the entrance, making it an internet celebrity bookstore. In addition to magazines, it also showcases art books and cultural and creative products, with steps and cushions for a leisurely reading experience.
Essentially a bookstore, Happy Gathering differs from traditional ones, embodying the spirit of its name, ‘Ji Hui’, conveniently located in ‘Xing Fu Li’ and symbolizing happiness. It offers a collection of books, clothing, shoes, accessories, and beverages and snacks over two creatively designed floors, modern, stylish, and elegant.
While Happy Gathering is impressive, it falls short when compared to Harbin’s Gogol Bookstore.
Columbia Circle: A Historical Enigma
Columbia Circle has remained a mysterious area, closed to the public since the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Originally a foreign compound known as the Columbia Country Club, it was built in 1924 by the US Consulate as a leisure, entertainment, and social venue for British and American expatriates in Shanghai. The architecture has preserved the characteristics of over 70 years of history, and the direct sunlight evokes the air of old history.
The most famous feature is a vacation-style Moroccan Tiffany blue swimming pool, which instantly transports visitors to Morocco. The mosaic tiles combined with the azure pool water make for fashionable photos, attracting many celebrities to check in. This is the only swimming pool in Shanghai that still retains British standards, originally an open-air pool of the Navy Club, with Spanish-style buildings on both sides, arches echoing the pool, creating a disorienting sense of location.
