At the core of the North Bund CBD area of Hongkou District, DIIS is situated at No. 505 East Changzhi Road, previously home to the esteemed Henry Lester Institute of Technical Education, one of Shanghai's premier engineering colleges.

A historical photo of the incipient construction

Constructed in 1934 in adherence to the will of the British magnate Henry Lester, the building combines Gothic Revival and Art-Deco architectural styles. It was designated a heritage building in 1994.

The main building of the Lester school under construction

A historical photo of practice workshop

A history photo of electrical lab

In December 2021, renovation began to meticulously restore the building's original grandeur while adapting it for contemporary and forward-looking purposes. The newly renovated building is equipped with multifunctional auditorium, exhibition hall, fabrication lab, meeting rooms, as well as a series of studios, laboratories and co-creation spaces, to be operated by DIIS as infrastructural support for innovation and entrepreneurship.

Functional configuration after being repurposed and stimulated/activated

At the beginning of 2023, DIIS embarked on the full-scale utilization of this historic structure, evolving it into a globally renowned hub for design innovation.

Photo by Xu Yifan

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