Bestseller concept though it might be, clearly, even though you might build a creative cluster, it isn't a given that they in turn will feed creatively-driven companies.
The most successful arts communities and organisations are those where the invisible hand of the Big Brother - what we in India call the sarkari hand - is missing.
Organically grown communities such as M50, Taikang Road and 696 Weihai Road, which have sprung up of their own accord, have a more natural feel and generally more charm. Both M50 and 696 Weihai Road feature artists studios, galleries and design firms, but have largely been left to their own devices.
The companies in charge of their management have done little in terms of renovations and as a result rents have stayed relatively low. This attracts a truly interesting crowd - perhaps the real Bohemians.
Image: A shopping mall in downtown Shanghai | Photograph: Liu Jin/AFP/Getty Images
Also read: Here's how real estate prices are falling
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