1000 Trees

1000 Trees (天安千树, Tiān’ān Qiānshù) is a mixed-use development on Suzhou Creek in Putuo District, designed by Heatherwick Studio for the developer Tian An. Its terraced, tree-covered form makes it an odd companion to its neighbour, the M50 art district. The two sites are adjacent.

Dezeen reports that the first phase opened with a lighting ceremony on 22 December 2021, after eight years of development. Chinese Wikipedia gives the same date and says more than 120 merchants opened at the same time. The same article says the design drew on Huangshan and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

The idea is a mountain made of columns. Dezeen says there are up to 1,000 structural columns, each with a tree on top, and that the columns double as decorative planters with a hidden watering system inside them; more than 70 tree species are used. Chinese Wikipedia describes it slightly differently, with about 400 steps and over 1,000 plants on terraces shaped like a peak. The counts differ by source, so treat them as approximate.

The ground has a history. The site was a flour factory, the Fufeng Fuxin Flour Mill (阜丰福新面粉厂), according to Chinese Wikipedia, and four historic buildings from the mill are kept. Dezeen adds that an old bell tower now works as a sightseeing elevator. The development stands on a bend of the creek, at the corner of Changhua Road and Moganshan Road, beside the M50 art district and a public park.

When complete, the scheme is to cover 300,000 square metres. Dezeen described a second phase, a taller structure with hanging gardens, as under construction and connected to the first by a bridge and tunnel. Chinese Wikipedia says that its main structure was topped out in April 2023 and that it includes a Hyatt Selection hotel, offices and commercial space. I did not find a source confirming that this phase has opened, so check what is open when you go.

Hours and entry details were not found in a source you can rely on, and the official site could not be consulted. Treat everything practical as unconfirmed until checked on the day.