"Tongji Rim-Yangpu" Modern Design Industry Development Indicator Report which is the first domestic indicator systematically presenting regional development of modern design industry was released recently. The report shows that as the only urban district focusing on modern design industry as its unique positioning, Yangpu District has played a significant role in the construction of Shanghai's "Design Metropolis", based on its long-term accumulation of modern design industry and profound university resources, and the Tongji Rim Knowledge Economy Circle has become a planning design-oriented creative industry cluster with the largest number of enterprises and the widest scale in China and even the world. In 2018, the number of modern design enterprises accounted for 21.4% of the total number of enterprises in the district, the operating income of enterprises above designated size reached RMB 52.19 billion, and modern design is forecast to be the first 100 billion-level industry in Yangpu District.
Modern design industry of Yangpu District originated from the Tongji Rim Knowledge Economy Circle. In the 1980s, around diversified campus resources of Tongji, Fudan and Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, design enterprises and sci-tech industrial parks gradually gathered, to trigger the burgeoning Tongji Rim Knowledge Economy Circle. In June 2007, Yangpu District Government and Tongji University jointly issued the Guidelines for the Master Plan of Tongji Rim Knowledge Economy Circle, which officially rolled out the construction of Tongji Rim Knowledge Economy Circle. In August 2011, the UNESCO "Creative City" (Shanghai) Promotion Office was settled in the Tongji Building, and the Tongji Rim Knowledge Economy Circle became a core functional area and leader of creative industry development in Shanghai as a "Design Metropolis".
As Tongji University's strong disciplines and advantageous specialties are vigorously supporting and guiding the modern design industry, Tongji Rim Knowledge Economy Circle accelerates the cultivation of knowledge-intensive industries focusing on urban planning and construction, gradually extends from the original highlight on urban planning and architectural design toward the industrial chain, generates an industrial community dominated by architectural and environmental design industry and product design industry, and currently becomes the planning design-oriented creative industry cluster with the largest number of enterprises and the widest scale in China and even the world. In 2018, the total output in the core area of Tongji Rim Knowledge Economy Circle exceeded 40 billion, soaring up by 12.8%; there were 3263 enterprises in the area, including 45.8% architectural and environmental design companies and 22.4% product design companies.
Apart from diversified industrial structure, the modern design industry of Yangpu District has also achieved remarkable performance in scale. Data shows that in 2018, the modern design industry of Yangpu District made great progress in terms of enterprise quantity and business scale. According to the data of the Fourth National Economic Census, in 2018, Yangpu District boasted 6,189 modern design enterprises, accounting for 21.4% of the total Yangpu enterprises. In view of total scale, the added value of modern design industry in Yangpu District amounted to RMB10.74 billion, accounting for 5.8% of Yangpu District GDP, an increase of 0.3% over the previous year.
"Tongji Rim-Yangpu" modern design industry development indicator system consists of 4 first-level indicators, 9 second-level indicators and 22 third-level indicators, to manifest the current environment of "Tongji Rim-Yangpu" modern design industry from four dimensions of industrial development (industrial environment, industrial quality, industrial innovation, industrial impact), and comprehensively and systematically reveal the growth trend of modern design industry.
According to the development indicators, with 2016 as the benchmark period (benchmark value of 100), the "Tongji Rim-Yangpu" modern design industry development indicator scored 108.9 in 2017, and 120.7 in 2018, achieving growth for consecutive years.
From the perspective of subdivided indicators, in 2018, four first-level indicators all achieved steady development, of which industrial impact indicator and industrial innovation indicator ranked top 2 among the four indicators with high score of 135.6 and 126.8 respectively. The rapid growth of two indicators shows that facing the profound needs of current economic and industrial transformation and upgrading, as well as close interaction between demand side and supply side, the modern design industry of Yangpu District has come to a critical period of improving quality and efficiency, while accelerating cultivation of new industrial development momentum, and enhancing the quality of industrial development.
In respect of industrial impact, relying on the brand appeal of Yangpu District's design industry and the agglomeration effect of six design industry communities, more and more excellent design companies and resources have settled in Yangpu. In 2018, Yangpu District witnessed 1,359 newly added design companies, and the financing amount of representative and typical enterprises in the district rose by 31.5%.
In the future, Yangpu's design industry will further enhance the quality of development, aim at global scientific frontiers and national major strategic demands, upgrade industrial energy level, and achieve integrated development, while speeding up establishment of design industry platform/alliance, actively aligning with Shanghai's local, domestic and international design resources, strengthening brand promotion and interconnection on the industrial chain, and contributing to shaping and raising the international image and brand influence of modern design industry in Yangpu District.
