OCT-LOFT Creative Culture Park

OCT-LOFT (Overseas Chinese Town Lofts) is the closest Shenzhen has to a creative neighbourhood in the Western sense — a cluster of repurposed factory buildings in the Nanshan district that now house galleries, design studios, independent cafes, craft beer bars, and weekend markets. It's the go-to spot for Shenzhen's design community and the city's growing arts scene.

The east zone is more established, anchored by the He Xiangning Art Museum and surrounded by outdoor sculpture installations. The west zone has more bars, restaurants, and the site of the OCT Contemporary Art Terminal (OCAT), which mounts serious contemporary exhibitions. On weekends a large market sets up outdoors, mixing vintage clothing, artisan food, and handmade goods.

OCT-LOFT is accessible via Qiaocheng North metro station on Line 1. Evenings in the west zone are particularly lively — the area has better bars than most parts of the city.

things to do sight neighbourhood art
A story
OCT-LOFT opened in 2004 in what was formerly an industrial zone built by the Overseas Chinese Town (OCT) development company. The area's designers deliberately left much of the factory architecture intact — rusted water towers, exposed brick, freight loading bays — and the tension between raw industrial bones and polished contemporary arts venues gives the district its distinctive character.

Other places in Things to Do