When commissioned to convert a ramshackle lane house in Shanghai into a three-unit apartment building, local firm Neri&Hu Design and Research Office tried to maintain the traditional character of the 1930s-era building, while giving it a contemporary edge.

Enter Mercato and your first impression is its rawness. The rough concrete, weathered steel, and exposed ductwork might seem out of place in Shanghai, a city where fine-dining interiors tend to be blingy.

Neri&Hu finds a number of innovative ways to reinterpret old China for the 21st century.

While glittering new high-rises sprout everywhere in Shanghai, gems of Western-style architecture from the early 20th century can still be found throughout the city.