0292 Bombed Shelters

In this time of reusing, recycling, repurposing, pretty much anything can become anything else: tires to playground turf, soda bottles to fleece parkas, rails to trails. Here in Shanghai, they’ve got bomb shelters to transform and transform them they have. The approximately 2000 shelters in the Xuhui district date back to the 60s and were built to protect people from possible air strikes from the Soviet Union. Now they stand empty. Damp and empty. Damp, clammy and empty. But their clamminess has not prevented them from being reborn as clothing shops, gay bars and wine sellers. There’s an underwear store exclusively for men called MANifest and a club called The Shelter which is very popular among the underground clubbing set for its “pitch-dark” parties in which all lights and wifi are shut down and only the music – and drinks –remain. What better spot to get bombed than a bomb shelter. #China #Hacker #CEAS