The following article is from Beijing Haidian, by Haidian Network

On the afternoon of April 13, the 2022 Beijing Urban Renewal White Paper was officially released in Haidian District. The Dinghao Building Renewal Project and the Jingzhang Ruins Park Renewal Project were selected as 2022 Beijing Urban Renewal cases.

This press conference was held at Dinghao DH3 in Zhongguancun. At the conference, the Dinghao Building Renewal Project was also shared as a selected case in the white paper.

What is Dinghao DH3 like now?

A high-quality business space, an ecological platform for innovation and venture enterprises, constant exchanges and collisions. Dinghao DH3 is becoming the new soil for nurturing innovative sparks in Zhongguancun.

How did Dinghao achieve its stunning transformation?

Located at No. 3 Haidian Street, Dinghao DH3’s predecessor, the Dinghao Electronics Mall, is well-known to every resident of Haidian. It was once a highly popular electronics marketplace. At its peak, Dinghao Electronics Mall, together with Hailong Electronic City and Zhongguancun E-World, formed the Golden Triangle of Beijing’s Zhongguancun.

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As time progresses, the industrial focus of Zhongguancun’s core area has evolved. Dinghao boldly embarked on a transformation, undergoing a complete metamorphosis from the inside out.

In September 2011, Dinghao initiated the relocation of tenants from the 6th to 19th floors of the mall, and by early 2012, it had introduced technology innovation, incubators, and international technology transfer centers, along with other technology and tech service companies. In April 2014, the relocation of electronic retail tenants from the 2nd basement level to the 5th floor above ground began, and by 2016, the relocation was complete, and the electronics mall voluntarily closed.

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As the first commercial building in Zhongguancun to undergo business model adjustment, simply replacing old industries with innovative enterprises was not enough to truly elevate its status. The building, which had been in operation for over a decade, faced challenges such as outdated facilities, a lack of vitality in public spaces, and a disorderly exterior appearance, all of which hindered Dinghao’s transition into a more vibrant innovation platform.

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Therefore, to better serve the needs of regional development, promote the optimization of urban spatial structure and quality enhancement, Dinghao underwent a complete repositioning. It planned to transform into a landmark technological and business complex in the core area of Zhongguancun, integrating office space, exhibitions, interaction, and commercial services, and attracting top global science and innovation enterprises.

In April 2019, the renovation and upgrade project of Dinghao Electronics Mall Building A commenced, including engineering design and tenant relocation, with construction officially starting in October 2020 and the renewal and renovation completed by October 2021.

Dinghao DH3 returns anew

From its appearance, it’s evident that the updated Dinghao DH3 has a cleaner and simpler exterior. Every first-time visitor to Dinghao DH3 can’t resist taking out their phone to capture the completely refreshed look of the building.

The 50-meter-high lightwell atrium, the brand-new interior design, and the relaxed atmosphere of people conversing in the coffee shops create an environment starkly different from the previous disorderly and crowded space.

The space structure of the renovated building has been optimized, with significant enhancements in both hardware quality and soft services. The office environment has become tidy and bright, achieving the goal of transforming into a high-quality office building serving technology innovation enterprises, attracting top industry enterprises like Sinovation Ventures, Shengjing Group, QuTalent, and miHoYo.

Allowing the space to embrace more innovative possibilities

The upgrade in building hardware is just the first step in the transformation. Based in the core area of Zhongguancun, how Dinghao DH3 will create its innovation ecosystem is a more critical aspect of its development.

Just the day before the press conference, a job fair was held here. Both job-seeking students and organizing staff were surprised by Dinghao’s new look.

A staff member organizing the job fair said, “The change in Dinghao is quite unexpected. My impression of it was still stuck in the electronics city era from over a decade ago, selling phones and tablets. After Haidian Street suggested this place for the job fair, we found it completely transformed.”

From the 21st floor of Dinghao DH3, where the job fair took place, one can overlook the entire streetscape of Zhongguancun. The bustling and vibrant atmosphere of the area, with people exercising in Peking University’s sports field and the constant flow of traffic on the Fourth Ring Road, reflects the ever-present vitality of the region.

Cai Na, HR Director of Shengjing Group, told reporters in an interview, “When selecting an office location, we practically visited all the high-end office buildings in Haidian and also checked out Chaoyang. Eventually, we chose to settle in Dinghao, partly because it met our needs and also because Dinghao’s self-positioning closely aligns with our company’s development core.”

As one of the first enterprises to settle in Dinghao DH3, Shengjing Group has established a global science and innovation roadshow center here. Since January this year, almost every week there have been project roadshows, entrepreneur salons, and closed-door forums for business operators. Investors, technological innovations, and specialized enterprises converge here, sparking innovation at every turn. For a venture capital firm like Shengjing Group, targeting “innovative seeds,” Dinghao DH3’s positioning as an ecological platform for science and innovation aligns perfectly with its cultural roots.

When asked why a commercial building would offer space for a job fair, Liu Yiping, the operational director of Dinghao DH3, said, “The university students attending the job fair could be future entrepreneurs, and the participating companies are all excellent. The job fair is another form of ‘leading the young.’ Dinghao has always aimed to be an innovative, interactive ecological platform, with gathering and interaction as its eternal themes. Dinghao hopes to embrace every innovative opportunity with an open attitude.”

A successful urban renewal project can often drive the regeneration of an entire area, injecting new vitality into the region. “We’re not just renovating a building; we want to interact with the area and bring vitality to it,” Wang Jianfeng, General Manager of Dinghao DH3, said while sharing his project renewal experience. “An innovative ecosystem requires a soil of exchange and interaction. With the nourishment of environment and services, more innovative ideas and achievements can flourish. We hope to become the fertile ground serving innovative enterprises in Zhongguancun.”

Renderings of the Dinghao DH3 renovation project

As an urban renewal project, Dinghao’s upgrade is not yet complete. The renovation of Building B has already begun, with more spaces still being optimized. In the future, it will integrate more deeply with the urban rail transit and the public spaces of Zhongguancun’s western area, becoming a new landmark of Zhongguancun’s innovative ecosystem.

Reporter: Chen Naihe

Some images provided by Dinghao DH3