Leveraging the advantages brought by its new train station and the Jiaozhou Bay Bridge, Qingdao is planning to transform an old industrial area at its northwest end into a comprehensive high-end business area featuring modern services and headquarters facilities for enterprises.

在黄海之滨、胶州湾畔，一座现代化新城区——青岛交通商务区正在崛起。未来，这里不仅是山东半岛的立体交通枢纽，还将是一片闻名海内外的投资热土、国际高端商务活动聚集区以及充满浓郁文化气息的宜居幸福之地。

    The Qingdao Transport Business District spreads across 36 square kilometers around Qingdao North Railway Station, which began operating in Jan 10 in Licang district.

    The new train station connects nine railways. By high-speed train, it only takes one to two hours' to ride to cities around the Shandong Peninsula, and the traffic time from the city to Shanghai is cut to 4 hours from the previous 7 hours.

    With a total investment of 4.7 billion yuan ($780 million), it is the largest transport hub in Shandong province. The station's annual passenger flow volume will reach 18 million by 2020.

青岛交通商务区位于李沧区重庆路以西，区域面积约３６平方公里，投资４７亿元的铁路青岛北站坐落其中，是青岛市重要门户区。这个区以铁路青岛北站为引擎，发挥铁路、地铁、跨海大桥、环湾大道等交通枢纽优势，以现代服务业为主导产业，以总部经济、科技研发、会展信息、旅游购物、生态居住、物流运输为辅，通过推动老城区企业搬迁和旧城改造，打造交通快捷、办公舒适、商埠汇集、居住便利、环境优美的现代交通商务区。

    "Major cities in the province will be connected as an integrated urban agglomeration," said Liu Yungang, director at the development office of the business area.

    "Qingdao, which is already a leading economy in Shandong, will generate great opportunities and value for businesses and industries."

交通商务办相关负责人说，铁路班车化将使城市之间的文化交流、经济交流更通畅，整个半岛地区越来越像一座大城市。在这个大城中，青岛得天独厚的区位优势以及扎实的经济基础，必然会在这个大城市中发挥核心区和龙头的作用。铁路班车化也将使青岛的优势资源为更大范围的人服务，实现更高的产业发展价值。

    Five world-class design companies from Germany, Singapore and the United States were invited to draw up the plan for the zone. They include names like SWA Group from America and Rheinschiene Architects from Germany.

     "With star architects joining the planning team, the area will be built into a modern international business center," Liu said.

    "The concept and model of reinventing an old urban area will also set an example for other parts of the city."

青岛交通商务区规划之初就立足实现国际标准、达到世界高度，从２２家国内外报名设计单位中择优选定德国莱茵之华建筑师事务所、日本城市综合设计联合体、日本中央复件工程咨询株式会社、中国城市规划设计研究院和美国的SWA设计事务所５家世界知名设计机构。

“有了这些国际大牌的加盟，交通商务区必然站在较高的起点上，更方便与国际接轨，与世界对话，加快建设现代化国际新区的步伐。”交通商务办负责人说。

    Liu said the renovation project not only entails the development of business in the area but also tries to improve living standards in the residential and the natural environment.

    The core part of the business area has been under construction. Covering some 1.9 square kilometers, it is divided into different functional zones - a transportation center, a shopping mall, business offices, a historical and cultural tourism center, as well as a hotel, convention and exhibition center.

“结合新的产业功能定位，进行产业组合和布局，然后进行公共资源的配套，就是改建、加建、插建、拆建，让它在原有基础上，该保留的保留，该拆掉的拆掉，使它的产业空间布局更加科学合理。这实际上是一个城市更新的概念，困难很大，如果这个区域我们做好了，将成为中国乃至世界典范。”交通商务办负责人说。

   Part of the reinvention project involves a massive campaign to relocate factories and residential buildings.

    By June 2013, 19 companies had moved out, and more than 7,000 residential buildings were relocated, while some of the historical buildings have been or are in the process of being renovated.

青岛交通商务区注重在城市交通集约枢纽形成过程中撬动产业转型升级。近年来，这个商务区列入搬迁计划共１９家企业，２０１３年上半年完成全部搬迁。在推进企业搬迁的过程中，交通商务区积极对工业遗迹丰富和具有历史保留价值的老企业进行保护性开发。

    The century-old No 6 Cotton Textile Factory has been built into the M6 Virtual Reality Industrial Park.

    The park has 16 virtual reality programs, including car assembly and holographic imaging. It aims to attract companies engaged in R&D, digital technology, culture and entertainment as well as consultancy and other service sectors. So far, more than two dozen companies have settled in the park.

    With a total investment amount of 2.5 billion yuan, Yuexiu Group, a Guangzhou-based real estate company, is constructing a high-end seaside residential complex on one of the original factory sites in the area.

    Another modern residential project in the area is now underway, which will accommodate 6,000 relocated families who were living in the shanty towns. To make sure people living in their new houses can enjoy convenience and a chic life style, the project also includes a shopping complex, a culture and sports center, a middle school, an elementary school and two kindergartens as well as a farmers market.

２０１２年上半年对原国棉六厂进行了保护性改造，在原址上打造“青岛国棉６虚拟现实产业园”。园区通过修旧如新、新旧结合、新建楼宇等方式，对历史建筑进行修缮改造，在保留历史文化内涵基础上，赋予其新的产业功能。

目前，园区一期已竣工，虚拟现实体验馆（光锦视界）已经试运营，体验馆内初步设立了汽车装配、航空航天、全息影像等１６个虚拟现实体验项目，成为老城区企业改造的典范工程和虚拟现实文化产业的示范基地。产业园试运营以来，已接待社会各界参观万余人次，成为李沧区现代服务业发展和对外宣传的新高地。

随着黄海橡胶集团、博信铝业等企业搬迁腾空土地，青岛交通商务区引入实力雄厚的企业参与地块开发。目前，由广州越秀集团投资约２５亿元开发的星汇蓝湾一期项目正在建设，将打造成沿海生态建筑集群。

    "Many international transportation hubs flourish as commercial centers, such as Germany's Munich Main Station, Montreal Station in Canada as well as Hongqiao district in Shanghai," Liu said, "I belive the business area in Qingdao will follow these models and grow into a modern international urban center soon."

    刘云刚表示，将借鉴国际高端交通商务区的经验，以世界眼光、以国际标准和本土优势，逐步把青岛交通商务区打造成现代化国际新区。