"Anting New Town is a dream, a dream about the future of what our home can be, a dream about the practice of 'new urbanism,"' said Fei Chunlu, managing director of Shanghai International Automobile City Real Estate Co Ltd. "And we are making that dream come true."
Located in International Automobile City, Jiading District, the first phase of Anting covers an area of more than 1.2 million square meters. About 3 billion yuan (US$361.45 million) will be invested in the project.
It is also an important part of the municipal government's "One City, Nine Towns" development plan.
According to Fei, when completed, the German-style town that was once farmland will bring people a new idea of life.
"People will never believe how good their life can be," he said. "It is beyond imagination."
Based on the concept of "new urbanism," the town is planned to realize many people's dream of an ideal neighborhood. Everything from connectivity and diversity to sustainability and architectural design has been considered.
A total of seven design firms from Germany have introduced innovative thoughts to the township.
"We have invited more than 100 German designers to join the architecture scheme," Fei said. "The proposal offers an alternative to conventional residential buildings where identical apartments are stacked on each other.
Instead, we will provide a rich variety of styles. Almost every apartment will be unique.''
Environmentally-friendly designs are the town's other main highlight.
An energy supply system using water as a cooling medium is expected to be an efficient substitute for air conditioners.
"Other than that, to save more energy, all the buildings will be constructed with advanced insulating materials that match German standards," Fei said. "The interior temperature will not be affected by temperature changes outside."
More than 40 percent of the building material can be recycled.
"Five or ten years later, residents in the town will be able to enjoy fresh air, comfortable temperatures and beautiful greenery once they open their windows," he said.
Various species of trees and plants will cover nearly 70 percent of the town, ensuring beautiful scenery changes all year round. An artificial lake measuring 500,000 square meters will also be added.
The pedestrian-friendly street network encourages people to enjoy the pleasure of walking.
"Chinese people are always in pursuit of harmony between neighbors and convenience in their everyday life," Fei said. "The central square, which is currently under construction, will become the town's main recreational center when completed."
According to the plan, it will contain a 120,000-square-meter commercial area, a 20,000-square-meter music hall, a library, a museum, a cinema as well as a church.
A five-star hotel managed by Accor - Europe's leading hotel and services group - a 46,000-square-meter hospital and a school for 5,000 students will also be built.