By: Zhang Lingting (Taizhou Daily)

The preservation and revival project of North Xinjiao Street (Haimen Old Street) in Taizhou was awarded with 2010 Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on November 19th.

The UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards panel, formed by ten international heritage preservation experts, gave its comment on the project as follows: “The project didn’t adopt thorough demolishment and reconstruction to solve the drainage issue of the old street. It renovated brick and wood facades of historic architectures with traditional material and techniques. Utilities upgradation facilitates people’s life in the area. The one-hundred-year-old street again assumes its vitality in the clamorous city.

“The Jiaojiang District Government and the design team lead by Professor Chang Qing of Tong Ji University contributed greatly to preservation and revival of the old street, the significant cultural heritage in Asia-Pacific area. This project provided a substantial example for preservation and revival of local traditional urban streets and districts, and as well promoted the progress of Asia-Pacific cultural heritage protection.

Haimen Old Street was built during Kangxi Reign of the Qing Dynasty and shop buildings along the street today were constructed during the Qing Dynasty and the period of the Republic of China. As a site concentrated the essence of the old Haimen port culture, the street showcases the history of business and trade exchanging and the historic view of Haimen since the port opened. In order to reproduce the street’s original scene, the Jiaojiang District Government invested RMB80 million in overall renovation and reproduction of the street in 2000, which was completed in October 2005. In October 2010, Haimen Old Street was listed into the first batch of Special Commercial Demonstration Streets of Zhejiang Province.