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| Breathing Life Into Spaces Well Beyond 6 Feet Under Beijing’s Streets | Breathing Life Into Spaces Well Beyond 6 Feet Under Beijing’s Streets |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| BEIJING — The Digua Shequ community center in Beijing is painted in cheery pastel tones and festooned with colorful paper dragons hung from the ceiling. Inside are a hair salon, a cafe and a gym — normal shops for a typical neighborhood — except that they are underground. | |
| All of the storefronts are two floors below the street, built inside a former bomb shelter designed to withstand a nuclear war. | All of the storefronts are two floors below the street, built inside a former bomb shelter designed to withstand a nuclear war. |
| Digua Shequ, a start-up that turns unused basements into community centers and whose name is Chinese for Sweet Potato Community, has been renovating the shelter in northeast Beijing for the past year. It wants to reimagine the future of the city’s underground spaces, once largely ignored but now contested by an unlikely combination of government, commercial and artistic interests. | Digua Shequ, a start-up that turns unused basements into community centers and whose name is Chinese for Sweet Potato Community, has been renovating the shelter in northeast Beijing for the past year. It wants to reimagine the future of the city’s underground spaces, once largely ignored but now contested by an unlikely combination of government, commercial and artistic interests. |
| The center’s founder, Zhou Zishu, a former designer at the National Museum of China, said he was inspired by the debate over what to do with Beijing’s bomb shelters, which currently house well over 100,000 people. | The center’s founder, Zhou Zishu, a former designer at the National Museum of China, said he was inspired by the debate over what to do with Beijing’s bomb shelters, which currently house well over 100,000 people. |
| “Our work is not just about renovating basement spaces and making them look better,” Mr. Zhou said. “It’s actually about improving the lives of residents and creating a new sense of community. We want to take these private spaces and make them public again.” | “Our work is not just about renovating basement spaces and making them look better,” Mr. Zhou said. “It’s actually about improving the lives of residents and creating a new sense of community. We want to take these private spaces and make them public again.” |
| But not everyone agrees with Digua Shequ’s vision. The uncertain fate of the shelters, as well as the rules for their use, has drawn attention from several competing stakeholders. | But not everyone agrees with Digua Shequ’s vision. The uncertain fate of the shelters, as well as the rules for their use, has drawn attention from several competing stakeholders. |
| Beijing’s more than 10,000 concrete bunkers, built over 40 years ago, were a crucial part of Mao’s Cold War defense strategy. Some of the bunkers, which were handed over to neighborhood authorities in the 1980s, when the country’s economy was liberalized, were turned into shops or offices. Most were converted into living spaces and rented out to migrant workers or residents trying to duck Beijing’s soaring real estate prices. | Beijing’s more than 10,000 concrete bunkers, built over 40 years ago, were a crucial part of Mao’s Cold War defense strategy. Some of the bunkers, which were handed over to neighborhood authorities in the 1980s, when the country’s economy was liberalized, were turned into shops or offices. Most were converted into living spaces and rented out to migrant workers or residents trying to duck Beijing’s soaring real estate prices. |
| The news media called these subterranean residents the rat tribe, and the shelters gained a reputation for neglect. In 2010, Beijing announced that the residential use of underground spaces would be illegal by the end of 2012, a deadline that was extended to 2017. | The news media called these subterranean residents the rat tribe, and the shelters gained a reputation for neglect. In 2010, Beijing announced that the residential use of underground spaces would be illegal by the end of 2012, a deadline that was extended to 2017. |
| One pressing question facing the city is what to do with the people who still live in the bunkers. Estimates of their numbers range from 150,000 to a million. Nearly every apartment building in the Digua Shequ center’s neighborhood has a former shelter or a basement. Most of the residential units in them are rented out for 500 to 900 renminbi a month, or roughly $77 to $138 — about one-third of what it would cost to live aboveground. | One pressing question facing the city is what to do with the people who still live in the bunkers. Estimates of their numbers range from 150,000 to a million. Nearly every apartment building in the Digua Shequ center’s neighborhood has a former shelter or a basement. Most of the residential units in them are rented out for 500 to 900 renminbi a month, or roughly $77 to $138 — about one-third of what it would cost to live aboveground. |
| “Workers’ wages aren’t rising as fast as the cost of living,” said Xu Tong, who both rents out and lives in an underground space in eastern Beijing. “If you get rid of these basement units, where will the migrants live?” | “Workers’ wages aren’t rising as fast as the cost of living,” said Xu Tong, who both rents out and lives in an underground space in eastern Beijing. “If you get rid of these basement units, where will the migrants live?” |
| Government data shows that migrant workers’ wages increased about 14 percent in 2014 from a year earlier, compared with a nearly 22 percent increase in their cost of living. Mr. Xu’s lease illustrates the uncertainty about how serious the government’s ban on underground dwellings is: Although the new rule takes effect in 2017, his contract does not expire until 2019. | Government data shows that migrant workers’ wages increased about 14 percent in 2014 from a year earlier, compared with a nearly 22 percent increase in their cost of living. Mr. Xu’s lease illustrates the uncertainty about how serious the government’s ban on underground dwellings is: Although the new rule takes effect in 2017, his contract does not expire until 2019. |
| Migrant workers’ use of the former bomb shelters remains a delicate topic. After The New York Times submitted an interview request to the neighborhood committee, Mr. Zhou said, an official there who supports the project called him and recommended that he not mention the “floating population” or “northern drifters” — two euphemisms for migrant workers. | |
| So far, Digua Shequ’s work remains an exceptional case for having legally repurposed the spaces under the new rules. Currently, the Civil Air Defense Department of Beijing grants one-year leases on former bomb shelters to individuals and companies. | So far, Digua Shequ’s work remains an exceptional case for having legally repurposed the spaces under the new rules. Currently, the Civil Air Defense Department of Beijing grants one-year leases on former bomb shelters to individuals and companies. |
| The order to end residential use means that some stand to lose a source of revenue, as few local officials and landlords are willing to spend to transform the units into commercial spaces. As a result, many shelters and basements occupied before the ban was announced are still being quietly rented out as housing. | The order to end residential use means that some stand to lose a source of revenue, as few local officials and landlords are willing to spend to transform the units into commercial spaces. As a result, many shelters and basements occupied before the ban was announced are still being quietly rented out as housing. |
| “It’s like a wave,” said Wang Jinhui, who runs a hotel in a former bomb shelter near the Digua Shequ center. “You just put your head down and wait for it to pass.” | “It’s like a wave,” said Wang Jinhui, who runs a hotel in a former bomb shelter near the Digua Shequ center. “You just put your head down and wait for it to pass.” |
| He has rented out the space since 1998 and is optimistic that the political will to enforce the new regulations will dissipate. | He has rented out the space since 1998 and is optimistic that the political will to enforce the new regulations will dissipate. |
| “They’ve said they’d clean out these underground spaces for years and not succeeded,” Mr. Wang said. “It just might be that places like mine will survive.” | “They’ve said they’d clean out these underground spaces for years and not succeeded,” Mr. Wang said. “It just might be that places like mine will survive.” |
| Subletting underground spaces can be lucrative. A lease for an entire basement or shelter typically costs about 150,000 renminbi a year, but subdividing the space can generate far more income. The shelter that Digua Shequ took over once housed more than 100 residents who together paid nearly 600,000 renminbi a year, Mr. Zhou said. | Subletting underground spaces can be lucrative. A lease for an entire basement or shelter typically costs about 150,000 renminbi a year, but subdividing the space can generate far more income. The shelter that Digua Shequ took over once housed more than 100 residents who together paid nearly 600,000 renminbi a year, Mr. Zhou said. |
| “A lot of landlords have spent money renovating the spaces they lease, so they don’t want to stop renting out basements,” said Guo Chengbao, a security guard who was once a basement landlord. He lives in an underground unit above the Digua Shequ center. | “A lot of landlords have spent money renovating the spaces they lease, so they don’t want to stop renting out basements,” said Guo Chengbao, a security guard who was once a basement landlord. He lives in an underground unit above the Digua Shequ center. |
| Private investors have also been eyeing underground spaces. Renovating the basement that now houses the Digua Shequ center cost nearly 3 million renminbi, most of which was covered by Feng Lun, the founder of Vantone Holdings and its real estate subsidiary, Vantone Real Estate. | Private investors have also been eyeing underground spaces. Renovating the basement that now houses the Digua Shequ center cost nearly 3 million renminbi, most of which was covered by Feng Lun, the founder of Vantone Holdings and its real estate subsidiary, Vantone Real Estate. |
| In an interview with Mr. Zhou for the online series “Wind Horse Cow,” which Mr. Feng produces, the Vantone founder explained his interest in the project. | In an interview with Mr. Zhou for the online series “Wind Horse Cow,” which Mr. Feng produces, the Vantone founder explained his interest in the project. |
| “We’ve constructed a lot of buildings,” he said, “but there’s no one today who is operating underground spaces like this. If other real estate developers came and saw your space, they might invite you to develop their underground spaces during construction.” | “We’ve constructed a lot of buildings,” he said, “but there’s no one today who is operating underground spaces like this. If other real estate developers came and saw your space, they might invite you to develop their underground spaces during construction.” |
| Mr. Feng did not respond to a request for an interview. | Mr. Feng did not respond to a request for an interview. |
| Mr. Zhou’s project was noticed by a sympathetic official and partly financed by the local and municipal governments as a promising model for Beijing’s other bomb shelters and basements. With the support of the neighborhood committee, Digua Shequ got a lease and is negotiating to turn another shelter in the Haidian district into a second community center. | Mr. Zhou’s project was noticed by a sympathetic official and partly financed by the local and municipal governments as a promising model for Beijing’s other bomb shelters and basements. With the support of the neighborhood committee, Digua Shequ got a lease and is negotiating to turn another shelter in the Haidian district into a second community center. |
| “No one had a very nuanced understanding of these places,” Mr. Zhou said. “Everyone thought only poor people lived in them and that they were dark and dirty.” | “No one had a very nuanced understanding of these places,” Mr. Zhou said. “Everyone thought only poor people lived in them and that they were dark and dirty.” |
| Mr. Zhou tried several different models before arriving at his plan for the community center. At first, he ran a training program for young workers, but attendance was too inconsistent. He considered turning basements into libraries but then observed that residents used similar areas as restrooms rather than as places for borrowing books. After studying theories about the sharing economy, Mr. Zhou hit on the idea of transforming basements into community centers. | |
| The entrance to the Digua Shequ center is like that of any other bomb shelter: rusting metal gates at street level that open onto a ramp down into the chilly, subterranean darkness. The ramp ends at a bright orange steel door set into mottled concrete, behind which lies the center’s warmly lit interior. | The entrance to the Digua Shequ center is like that of any other bomb shelter: rusting metal gates at street level that open onto a ramp down into the chilly, subterranean darkness. The ramp ends at a bright orange steel door set into mottled concrete, behind which lies the center’s warmly lit interior. |
| Renovations began on the shelter in 2015, after three years of surveying residents about what they wanted in a community center. When the new space opens on Friday, it will feature a 3-D printing station, co-working spaces and a movie theater. | Renovations began on the shelter in 2015, after three years of surveying residents about what they wanted in a community center. When the new space opens on Friday, it will feature a 3-D printing station, co-working spaces and a movie theater. |
| Mr. Zhou said that underground dwellings might never be eliminated entirely because of the different interests at play, but that he hoped the Digua Shequ model would be replicated in other neighborhoods. He said he saw it as a chance to transcend differences in social class and origin. | Mr. Zhou said that underground dwellings might never be eliminated entirely because of the different interests at play, but that he hoped the Digua Shequ model would be replicated in other neighborhoods. He said he saw it as a chance to transcend differences in social class and origin. |
| Mr. Guo, the security guard, likes what it has done so far. After work, he sometimes eats dinner in the community space. | Mr. Guo, the security guard, likes what it has done so far. After work, he sometimes eats dinner in the community space. |
| “I’ve lived in Beijing for 14 years. Before, I didn’t know any of the people who lived upstairs,” he said, laughing. “Now, we’re all familiar with each other.” | “I’ve lived in Beijing for 14 years. Before, I didn’t know any of the people who lived upstairs,” he said, laughing. “Now, we’re all familiar with each other.” |