Embracing Innovation: The Transformation of an Industrial Park
What does “two years” mean for an industrial park?
It signifies a complete transformation of the environment: turning a low-lying area into a beautiful ecological park. It marks an upgrade in industry: eliminating outdated production capacity while attracting high-end projects. It represents a reshaping of the landscape: the rise of a new industrial design hub, infusing the city with a deeper cultural identity…
The Industrial Design Park is located on the southwest side of Yantai High-tech Zone. With a planned area of 1.1 square kilometers and a building area of 320,000 square meters, it is the first industrial design-themed park in Shandong Province and plays a key role in Yantai’s ambition to become the “World Design Capital.” Since the municipal government selected the High-tech Zone as the core area for development in May 2022, the park’s construction, renovation, and investment attraction have been advancing rapidly, alongside the growth of Yantai's industrial design sector. This has created a vibrant atmosphere of growth and progress.
Giving a “Face-lift” for the Industrial Park: A Brand-new Appearance
In early spring, as one enters the lakeside ecological park in the “design town area” of the Industrial Design Park, beautiful cherry blossom trees come into view. The white flowers sway in the breeze, filling the air with a delightful fragrance. Along the lake, Phlox subulatas are also in full bloom, covering the ground with a stunning carpet of color. Visitors can almost smell the freshness of spring in the air.
By the lakeside, adults can’t help but take photos, while children run and play, all enjoying the beautiful spring scenery. “The park is especially picturesque in spring, particularly with the beautiful blossoms. I live nearby and love exercising here; the fresh air and beautiful flowers make me feel so pleasant,” said Liu Junfeng, a local resident.
In the past, the site of the lakeside ecological park was a low-lying area overgrown with weeds, far from beautiful. Since 2022, the High-tech Zone has invested 45 million yuan into the lakeside ecological renovation project in the “design town area”, creating a model for a “sponge city” and promoting green, low-carbon development. Pits and low-lying land have been transformed into a lakeside park that integrates water storage, purification, and aesthetic value. In addition to planting ornamental flowers like cherry blossoms, the lake area has been developed into an ecological wetland landscape dominated by water systems and plant communities.
The transformation of the park’s “appearance” is not limited to the lakeside ecological park. The area used to be an old industrial park with scattered and outdated enterprises, including seven cement mixing stations. After the industrial design park was planned, we renovated as much as possible and made the best use of available resources, relocating enterprises while carrying out construction projects to attract new industries such as industrial design, high-end research, business, and cultural tourism,” said Cheng Pujie, Deputy Director of the Industrial Design Town Promotion Center.
Today, the park has undergone a magnificent upgrade. Three key sectors are flourishing together: the Design Empowerment Sector, represented by prototype innovation factories and cultural creative industry parks, which attract leading design companies and institutions, gathering talent from various design fields. The Sino-German Industrial Design Center and the National Intelligent Manufacturing Industrial Design Research Institute have already settled in and are operating in the market. The Industry Support Sector includes parks for intelligent manufacturing, the headquarters economy, and electronic information, focusing on expanding the High-tech Zone’s leading industries and creating a synergistic system with the design sector. The Commercial Support Sector consists of a lakeside hotel, high-end business districts, and design plazas, offering commercial and exhibition services. Together, these sectors form a comprehensive industrial design-themed park that integrates production, education, research, culture, tourism, and commerce.
Progressing Construction and Investment: A Stable “Industrial Ecosystem”
On the west side of the picturesque lakeside park, the 140-acre cultural and creative industry park is under full construction. Tall buildings are rising, with over 100 workers busily engaged in various processes.
“We have seized the opportunity presented by the spring construction season and are working hard to stay on schedule. Currently, 22 buildings are under construction, 14 of which are already completed. We plan to finish all tasks this year and make the buildings ready for use,” said Cui Weitao, the project leader from Yantai High-tech Urban Renewal Investment and Development Company.
The project includes commercial areas, underground parking lots, talent apartments, master workshops, and design neighborhoods. It aims to attract innovative design enterprises and institutions in cultural creativity, technology development, and corporate headquarters, thereby accelerating the formation of a cultural and creative industry cluster.
Across the Industrial Design Industry Park, new standardized factories are emerging, giving the area an intelligent and modern appearance. The main structure of the intelligent manufacturing industrial park has been completed and is now undergoing internal decoration. The first phase of the headquarters economy park is finished, and the second phase is already under construction, with completion expected later this year. The lakeside hotel, high-end business district, and electronic information industrial park have confirmed investment operators and are under construction, with plans for completion by the end of 2025.
As construction progresses rapidly, efforts to attract investment are moving forward simultaneously. The High-tech Zone is advancing both construction and investment attraction by launching a series of preferential policies to support industries, headquarters, and market entities. The industrial design park serves as the primary platform for investment attraction, with local departments, area operators, and park managers all actively involved in the investment effort. So far, the prototype innovation factory, cultural and creative industry park, intelligent manufacturing industrial park, and headquarters economy park have begun their investment operations, successfully attracting over 80 projects with a total investment of 9 billion yuan. Nearly 40% of the planned area is already intended.
Industrial design is a driving force for the innovation of manufacturing enterprises, a key factor in enhancing competitiveness, and an important engine for cultivating new productive forces. It plays a crucial role in supporting the transition to a new stage of industrial development. The Industrial Design Park focuses on both domestic and international industrial design and related industries, attracting projects related to technological and business innovation to create a globally competitive industry.
Currently, the park has attracted 12 research enterprises, including the robot center of CETC and the rail transportation design center of CRRC. These enterprises have secured 107 intellectual property rights and generated a production value of over 2 billion yuan. The park has also signed contracts for more than 20 projects, including a resort hotel, and the industrial cluster effect is gradually emerging.
By 2025, the Industrial Design Park will be fully completed and operational. By 2027, it is expected to reach full capacity, housing over 1,000 professional design talents, more than 100 high-end innovation institutions, and over 300 high-quality enterprises. The park aims to achieve an industrial design service output value of 10 billion yuan, driving high-quality industrial development and providing strong support for Yantai’s goal of becoming a vibrant “World Design Capital”.
