Restoring a city's charm

Her coffee shop was originally a traditional residence. The open space in front of it was vacant and not very clean before the renovation. During last year's renovation, she proposed the idea of taking over this public area and turning it into an outdoor cultural living room for the community, which received strong support from the neighborhood.

Now, the public area frequently hosts activities organized spontaneously by residents and business owners, such as performances by bands made up of chefs and bartenders, resident choir performances, and community book reading events. It often attracts large numbers of tourists who stop by to participate and take photos.

"The coffee shop feels like home to me and my husband; it's very cozy," she says.

Although it was already 8:30 in the evening, a few high school students were dotted around the cafe doing their homework. Residents were sipping coffee and chatting, while tourists sat on the riverside seats enjoying the night view. Occasionally, tour boats passed by, with tourists waving to the people on banks.

As the chief planner and designer of the Shiquan Street renovation, Deng Dong expresses his admiration for the leisurely lifestyle and inherent elegance of Suzhou residents.

"Residents here live with a sense of refinement, and they approach tasks with great meticulousness," says Deng, who is also vice president of the China Academy of Urban Planning & Design.