Ancient-town renovation
Ancient-town renovation - conservation detail with modern performance.
- Shanghai Xionglan Culture Communication Co., Ltd. (brand: Xionglan Art)
- Shanghai-based workshop · delivery in 67 Chinese cities
- 10 capability groups / 102 individual techniques · design, fabrication and installation in-house
- Phone +86 156 0163 6249 · Mon–Sun 09:00–18:00 (CST)
Historic town work has to satisfy conservation requirements and contemporary safety and comfort standards at the same time. Materials and techniques are matched to what is already there, and every intervention is documented.
Commissioned work in ancient-town renovation normally runs from 6 to 30 m², with 3–8 working days in production from approved drawings. The reference range for this technique is CNY 300+ per m², quoted itemised. It sits within our Cultural Tourism & Scenic Fit-out capability, alongside 11 related techniques, and the 4-point deliverable below is what a commission includes as standard.
When ancient-town renovation is the right answer - and when it is not
Heritage town work is chosen where an authentic setting needs contemporary intervention that does not damage what makes it valuable. The discipline is different from new-build work: the historic fabric, the street pattern and the traditional materials are all constraints, and the test is whether an addition reads as belonging rather than as applied. It suits conservation areas, historic quarters and traditional water towns.
How the work is actually carried out
The existing fabric is surveyed and recorded before anything is designed, including the traditional material palette, the detailing and the way the buildings actually age. Interventions are designed to be reversible and honest, distinguishable from the historic work on close inspection while sitting comfortably within it at a distance. Materials are sourced to match the local tradition - reclaimed where possible - and crafts that the area still has are used. Fixings are designed to be reversible so future conservation work can undo them without loss.
Typical applications
Typical specifications
| Approach | Survey and condition assessment before any design work |
|---|---|
| Works | Facade repair, traditional joinery, stonework, roofscape, signage |
| Compliance | Fire, egress and accessibility upgraded behind the historic appearance |
| Documentation | Photographic and drawn record before and after |
| Capability | Cultural Tourism & Scenic Fit-out |
| Reference range | CNY 300+ per m² |
| Techniques in this capability | 12 |
| Coverage | Shanghai base, nationwide delivery, overseas projects on request |
Reference price bands for Ancient-town renovation
Indicative only, based on the scope normally quoted for ancient-town renovation. A firm price follows a site survey and an itemised quotation split into material, labour, finishing, packing and freight.
| Scope | Typical area | Reference total | Unit rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small area | 6–15 m² | CNY 1,800 – CNY 8,100 | approx. CNY 540/m² |
| Standard area | 15–36 m² | CNY 4,500 – CNY 19,440 | approx. CNY 420/m² |
| Large area | 36 m² and above | CNY 10,800+ | approx. CNY 300/m² |
Build tiers for ancient-town renovation
Ancient-town renovation is not one product at one size: the table below is the same scope ladder we quote on, so you can see where your project sits before asking for a price.
| Build tier | Typical area | Production days | What changes at this tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | 6–30 m² | 3–8 | Up to 30 m², one substrate and one access setup, 3–8 days in the workshop. |
| Tier 2 | 6–30 m² | 3–8 | 6–30 m² across two or more faces, 3–8 days, substrate build-up agreed per location. |
| Tier 3 | 6–30 m² | 3–8 | 6–30 m² across two or more faces, 3–8 days, substrate build-up agreed per location. |
| Tier 4 | 6–30 m² | 3–8 | 6–30 m² across two or more faces, 3–8 days, substrate build-up agreed per location. |
| Tier 5 | 6–30 m² | 3–8 | 6–30 m² across two or more faces, 3–8 days, substrate build-up agreed per location. |
| Tier 6 | 6–30 m² | 3–8 | 6–30 m² across two or more faces, 3–8 days, substrate build-up agreed per location. |
| Tier 7 | 6–30 m² | 3–8 | 6 m² and above, multiple substrate types and phased access, 3–8 days with a join and numbering plan. |
What we deliver
- Master-planning input and node-by-node priority list
- Gateway monuments, signage and wayfinding systems
- Exhibition interior, display cases and lighting
- Night-lighting and immersive experience rooms
Faults we see most often in ancient-town renovation
Each of these is a field failure rather than a workshop one, and each is cheaper to prevent at enquiry stage than to correct after installation.
- Introducing a material that is visually close but technically incompatible, so the historic fabric fails where the new work meets it.
- Designing something that passes at a distance and falls apart on close inspection by anyone who understands the tradition.
- Fixing irreversibly into historic fabric, so a future conservation intervention has to damage what it is protecting.
What to settle before an overseas project starts
| Conservation status | Tell us what is listed or protected and what the conservation officer requires. That constrains the design before aesthetic choices begin. |
|---|---|
| Traditional material palette | Send photographs and, if possible, samples of the local materials and detailing. Matching tradition is material work, not stylistic. |
| Craft availability | Tell us what traditional crafts are available locally. Where they exist, using them produces a better result than substituting modern methods. |
Working with us from overseas
Enquiry to installation, one point of contact. Export packing, shipping, commercial terms and quality control →
Design intent and what drives the cost
| Technique | Ancient-town renovation |
|---|---|
| Positioning | Ancient-town renovation - conservation detail with modern performance. |
| Floor area normally quoted | 6–30 m² per commission |
| Typical production window | 3–8 working days from approved drawings |
| Main cost drivers | Area and repetition; substrate preparation; detail and modelling time; surface finish; access and working hours |
| What we quote separately | Material, labour, finishing, packing, freight and site measures - each as its own line |
Representative work
Cultural Tourism & Scenic Fit-out projects photographed on completion.
Cultural Tourism & Scenic Fit-out — Playground (no-power rides)
Cultural Tourism & Scenic Fit-out — Exhibition hall & museum fit-out
Cultural Tourism & Scenic Fit-out — Wayfinding & signage system
Cultural Tourism & Scenic Fit-out — project photographCommon questions
Can modern services be hidden in historic fabric?
Do you work to conservation standards?
Can you work within heritage protection rules?
Discuss ancient-town renovation
Send photographs, drawings or a 3D file with approximate dimensions. You will get a technique recommendation, a reference price band and a production schedule.