How many people can a two-story building with a base of 20 square meters hold? Maybe your answer is 3 or 4. But for the Yuqing apartment complex, the answer is an astonishing 10.
The Yuqing community in Shanghai, China, is featured with low-story buildings, high-population density, and a unique culture of sharing.

Constructed in 1923, the Yuqing apartment complex witnessed the city’s rapid urbanization. It epitomized the unique architectural style of Lilong in Shanghai, which emerged during foreign settlements. Yet, as Shanghai grew into an international metropolis, these Lilong houses seemed to be left behind. Now, the majority of Yuqing’s residents are elderly, with their children having moved away. The limited internal living space required families to share the public space, and the neighborhood thrives on communal living. This isn’t just about sharing daily necessities; it’s about a communal life that extends into every corner. The closeness goes beyond spatial necessity. In Yuqing, neighbors form a tightly-knit community. The shared kitchens, bathrooms, and streets are stages for daily exchanges of care, support, and communal identity.

However, the versatile and socially vibrant community faces its challenges. Reconstruction efforts, be it polishing walls or cleaning streets, are only temporary strategies towards deeper issues of overpopulation and outdated infrastructure, including plumbing, electrical systems, and public amenities. Yuqing’s close-knit community and unique way of life underscores the complex, multifaceted problems that require more innovative housing plans and thoughtful consideration of the residents’ needs, especially those of the elderly. The story of Yuqing is a compelling narrative of adaptation and human connections in the face of modern challenges.

This marks the entrance to Yuqing apartment compex. Busy as it is, people come in and out of the community for different purposes – to buy daily necessities, to deliver packages, or simply to walk for a while.

With extremely limited internal space, families must share the public area in front of their houses, often for private uses. On the narrow alleys, clothes are hung, and automobiles are randomly parked. Residents gather to say hello, talk, and exchange news.

Population density here is so high that a two- or three-story building usually accommodates 8 to 9 families. The electric meter box for one building is a perfect example.

Lele is a frequenter of the streets. At this age, she has no other forms of indoor entertainment. What she likes to do is to sit outside, feel the breezy wind, and watch people going by. She always warmly welcomes her big sister.

This is the only kitchen in Xiaoting’s building, featured with multiple cooking stoves and tools. “We residents have formed a routine to take turns cooking. Just like a timetable.”

Staircases, steep and narrow, connect families in one building, yet also cause trouble because most of the people living here are elderly. “They are very inconvenient when we go buying because we will be carrying bulky bags,” said Xiaoting, a caregiver who looks after a 90-year-old granny. Most of the elderly have lived in Yuxing for their entire life. With their children moving out, many elderly find it difficult to maneuver inside the complex. When they need assistance, neighbors would always lend a helping hand.

Recreation space for the elderly is quite limited. Though the convenience store is small and clustered, neighbors like to gather here and talk. Street corners become where the community’s bonds are strengthened.