MINI LIVING is a global network of urban living spaces inspired by the original design principle behind the first MINI: creative use of space. As MINI LIVING prepares to open the doors of its first co-living hub in Shanghai, Dazed has partnered with MINI LIVING to explore the spaces, places and faces of the city.

On Tuesday night, MINI LIVING swung open the doors of an iconic old paint factory in Shanghai’s Jing’An district to debut its first permanent co-living space.

The Shanghai preview event gave us a glimpse at the space while it’s still being built, marking years of hard work from an international crew of architects, designers, and artists. And, to celebrate, MINI LIVING welcomed collaborators, friends and the Dazed team for an intimate preview and dinner. MINI LIVING is a soon-to-open network of permanent living spaces in major cities around the world, Shanghai being the first. The co-living, co-working hub will feature MINI-designed, fully-serviced apartments, as well as exhibition and art space, concept stores, restaurants led by local chefs, a cinema, and rooftops with sprawling views.

After the evening’s drinks, dinner was served under Wind Garden, a newly-commissioned installation from Chinese industrial designer Jamy Yang. The nine-course menu came courtesy of local Shanghai lynchpin and self-titled ‘restauranteuse’ Camden Hauge, whose dining projects include Egg, Bitter & Bird, Kin Thai Kitchen, Social Supply Shanghai, and Shanghai Supper Club. In the candle-lit space, we spied designers Guan Lin and Ling Ying from Chinese label Short Sentence, industrial designer Jamy Yang from YANG DESIGN, Oway Lau from concept store Sido, 8 Hour Design founder Sherry Xu, and Satoshi Isono from London-based Universal Design Studio. At the heart of the proceedings was MINI LIVING’s creative lead, architect Oke Hauser. As guests explored the labyrinthine site, Hauser chatted about the future of living in the city. 

After the dinner, guests headed off to an after party at local gin bar Botanist for late-night cocktails.

Check out the event in the gallery above, and stay tuned for more MINI moments to come that feature Dazed family and MINI Vendors from Dazed China’s Style Director Mia Kong to Nowness alumni and Shanghainese filmmaker Roni Shao.

This is MINI LIVING. Stay open.