When visiting Suzhou, you must visit this market

At the end of 2019, the Shuangta Market in Gusu District, Suzhou became an "Internet celebrity" landmark. It transformed from an old traditional farmer's market into a lifestyle market suitable for all ages. The value-for-money appearance and complex and diverse business formats bring high popularity and activate new life in the ancient city. Reporters from The Paper recently went to visit it to see what new ideas it has.

The interior of the Shuangta Market Fresh Food Area. The pictures in this article are all pictures by The Paper reporter Zhu Zhe (except for the signature)

Going south from the world-famous Pingjiang Road, there is a certain Huisi Lane, the granite archway at the entrance, the local chronicle introduction board and the antique buildings on both sides all tell the long history of the ancient city. In the alley, there are the famous Luohanyuan Twin Towers, which represent the achievements of Tang and Song Dynasty architecture and stone carving art. Further ahead, you will reach the Twin Towers Market named after it - it has been called the Twin Towers Vegetable Market for the past 20 years. An ordinary farmers market for the surrounding people.

Screenshots of the entrance and interior of the Twin Towers Food Market before renovation from the program "Dream Renovator"

As surrounding residents age and relocate, and the strong impact of e-commerce and supermarkets, the farmer's market is facing The crisis of development and survival. At the same time, in the context of the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta, Gusu District, as an ancient city with a history of 2,500 years, is also facing the major issue of revitalization.

Under the dual challenge, units and departments at all levels, including the Suzhou Municipal Party Committee and the Gusu District Party Committee, worked together and determined to start from the vegetable market, which is most closely related to people's livelihood, to carry out an innovation. Zhu Jun, chairman of the Suzhou Historical and Cultural City Construction Group, which undertook the twin-tower market project, told The Paper, “From the planning started in April last year, from the closure of construction in August to the resumption of business in December, there were many challenges in terms of time, manpower, material resources, etc. We face multiple challenges, but we firmly believe that by taking the road of revitalizing the ancient city, we can bring about prosperity with new things."

Wandering around the renovated Twin Towers Market, you can sense what is "new" about it through sensory experience. The 2,310 square meters in front of you has become a brand new composite business space, integrating shopping, dining, entertainment, learning and leisure functions, and each functional area embodies the integration of tradition and fashion. The entire design and renovation of the new Twin Towers Market was recorded in Shanghai Oriental TV's "Dream Renovator" series. Well-known designer Shen Lei demolished the original wall of the market, and the entrances to the market were changed from 3 to 7. The original facade was demolished and moved back, leaving ample space for movement in the streets and market, which can accommodate more people. Hang out and relax here.

Screenshot of the renovation animation "Dream Renovator" program

The fresh food area is located on the north side of the market. The designer changed the storage display from the original tiled style to a stacked style. Increased space utilization and visual beauty. There is also a special "Cai Chang Daily" on the wall, which introduces market intelligence.

Picture of the lively fresh food area

The products in the area are planned and laid out according to categories. At the same time, according to the drainage and sewage conditions of different functions such as vegetables, aquatic products, poultry eggs, etc., corresponding decontamination is planned. dirty system. Jia Zijun, the person in charge of the Twin Towers Market project and a "post-80s generation" in Suzhou, said in an interview that more than 60 vendors who originally operated in the old market have moved back to the new market on the basis of ensuring that the rent and vegetable prices remain unchanged. Since the reopening on December 17, the average daily turnover of basically every vendor has increased significantly.

Auntie Chen Mingyue, the proprietress who has been operating the tea business in the Twin Towers for more than 20 years, told reporters: "We never thought that we could sell and buy vegetables in such a beautiful and clean environment, and now we also have snacks. and coffee, I’m so happy!” The eloquent Aunt Chen is an outstanding vendor representative, and her image is also used on the specially designed human figure stand for the opening art exhibition. “This is so fashionable, it is a new thing for you young people. Son!”

Auntie Chen Mingyue, who sells tea, takes a photo with her artistic image

Walking through the different stalls in the fresh food area, you can see the smiling faces of the stall owners everywhere, listening to them They use authentic Suzhou dialect to recommend fresh ingredients to guests, and they will also sincerely introduce the eating custom of "not eating from time to time" to out-of-town guests. The scene is cordial and warm.

Smiling vendors

The newly-added snack area after the renovation is located on the south side of the market. The stalls are designed in a triangle, which greatly increases the space utilization and allows people to order as soon as they finish buying. The function of eating.

Market Snack Area

This time, snacks with local Suzhou characteristics have been specially introduced, such as Chen Laoda Plum Blossom Cake, Begonia Cake and Red Bean Cake, which are included in the intangible cultural heritage of Suzhou City. Yuanzi, sugar porridge, Soviet-style noodles, wontons, etc.

Mrs. Chen, the inheritor of Chen Laoda Plum Blossom Cake, and a collection of market snacks

There is also a small stage for performances in the corner. There will be different entertainment performances on weekends and holidays. Pushing the excitement index of the scene to a higher point.

There is an electronic screen on the side near the entrance of the snack area, showing the current advanced "smart farming" system. By collecting the total number of real-time customer flows in the market, the number of transactions on the day and the previous week, and the transaction amount, Data such as the top six trading stalls have become an important reference indicator for the market's scientific digital management. Transparent and open information also allows visitors to understand the market's operations.

"Smart Farming" display screen at the Twin Towers Market

Another new meaning of the Twin Towers is the revitalized Suzhou cultural elements. The twin towers' logo and shop signs are all new ideas created by designer Zhao Qing, who rearranged the Suzhou code, the business numeral of ancient Suzhou, into calligraphy glyphs. The signboard of the snack area uses the peach red and willow green colors of Suzhou Taohuawu New Year paintings as the background color, with snack names from Suzhou dialect.

The Twin Towers logo evolved from Suzhou Mazi, Taohuawu New Year paintings, and the snack area signboard composed of Suzhou dialect

What is also moving is the background soundtrack of the market, which is a euphemistic and moving Suzhou Pingtan. On the day of the interview, the reporter met Pang Xi, the designer responsible for the overall display and soft furnishings of the market. He specifically introduced farm supplies such as coir raincoats and fish baskets that can be seen everywhere.

Pang Xi at the Twin Towers Market

“The fruits, vegetables and knitting machines on the wall reflect the sentiment of Jiangnan farmhouses. I hope that visitors can feel this situation and restore the real life. "Looks like," Pang Xi explained.

Decoration of farm life scenes on the wall

The wicker chairs in the snack area are also representative of Suzhou style. Pang Xi said that at that time, they hired local craftsmen from Taohuawu to finalize the basic style. However, considering the high frequency of use in public places, they decided to replace the bottom frame of the rattan chair with a wooden frame, and also made follow-up work. Reinforcement treatment. The white background and black text in the market describe the seasonal food customs of the twenty-four solar terms, which are written stroke by stroke by professional designers. The shop signs along the street all use old plaques, and the mottled cracks reveal the traces of time. Their reuse is also a rebirth of old things.

The signboards along the street are all old plaques

The tailor shops, key shops, grocery stores, and teahouses along the street have been transformed by four designers, Lai Xudong, Sun Huafeng, Chen Bin, and Xie Ke. Later, everything was renewed and displayed in an orderly manner, and now it also attracts young people to watch and take photos.

There are also crowds of customers in front of tailor shops, key shops, and grocery stores

In the outdoor riverside area, the 24-hour bookstore "1/9 Bookstore" with only 9 square meters is also a Chinese community A new paradigm for smart retail bookstores. Chu Haifei, the bookstore manager and head of the book selection team, told The Paper that the bookstore will plan book exhibitions with different themes based on Suzhou's local culture and market format. The opening exhibition is centered on "edible books", which introduces food stories and picture books from around the world. Artists are invited to specially produce exhibition models with related themes, and design unique commemorative gifts and surprise book bags.

Chu Haifei and the interior and exterior shots of the bookstore

Since the opening, Chu Haifei was surprised that many elderly people would come to buy books. They would look through them carefully, listen to the clerk’s introduction, and some even Will give positive opinions.

In addition to the selection of books in this volume, "What to See Curation", a creative agency dedicated to promoting "everyday art", also joined the creative team of the Twin Towers Market. They coordinated and planned the first exhibition. It tells the history of the Twin Towers Market and the stories of the little people, and also designs cultural and creative products such as New Year calendars, postcards, and aprons for the market.

The cultural and creative product display area of ??the market

The outdoor riverside area has a specially designed parking lot and movable activity area, and holds flash mobs and special theme activities from time to time. It is reported that , from January 18th to 20th, there will be a Twin Towers Market Folk Culture and New Year Goods Festival event to add a Soviet flavor to the New Year of the Rat.

Xiao Hu and his friends took photos at the market

The Twin Towers Market has successfully built a bridge between the younger generation and traditional business forms, and the entire Pingjiang Road area in Gusu District is further developing During the upgrading planning and construction, more than 40 old houses on Pingjiang Road will be renovated and given new positioning and functions, and "bringing young people here" is one of the key goals of the development.

Outside the market is the Wuwang Bridge built in the Five Dynasties of the Southern Dynasties and renovated in 1980.

Zhu Jun introduced in the interview that the planning team is investigating and analyzing the consumption behavior of young people and corresponding businesses. The operation model of the business format is to actively explore a new look of the ancient city that is convenient and fashionable, can tell the past to the new generation, and attract new forces to contribute to it.