The adaptively reused buildings in Xintiandi are traditional Shanghainese Lilong (里弄) Shikumen (石库门). Lilong originate from the middle of the 19th century. Uprisings and upheavals, like the Taping Rebellion, created a flood of refugees seeking shelter in Shanghai. Over a century, various formations of Lilong3 evolved under varying housing demands. However, they retained their ‘serial’ spatial formation. As the name Lilong indicates (long meaning lane) the housing was laid out in a north-south lane pattern (Novelli 1999: 68). The architecture is often influenced by Western elements while the dwellings are made from local materials and techniques (Yager & Kilbourn 2004: 2). Lilongs’ value lies in the expression of Shanghainese history: its prevalence, its lane culture and of harboring famous people and revolutionary events. A Lilong Shikumen was the abode of the Communist Party’s First National Congress (Hammond 2006: 8). Lilong has become a symbol of Shanghai.