Justin Amoafo | Shengsi to the World : An Interactive Map of Shengsi Island

 
Shengsi to the World: An Interactive Map of Shengsi Island
Gone are the days of boring maps and stressful trip planning— Shengsi to the World is the beginning of a compelling visual journey through one of China’s most beautiful hidden gems. By the time you are done exploring this map’s interactive documentary style content, you will wish you could teleport to the boat port and head to Shengsi Island right away! Shengsi to the World challenges Shengsi Island’s traditional approach to tourism marketing by giving potential travelers what they want to see— content. Before this project’s inception, Shengsi was practically hidden from the world on the internet. Lack of content about the island, an outdated website, and weak SEO stood between this beautiful island and the millennial audience they seek to capture. Now more than ever, people utilize social media and content as a means of getting inspired to travel. This project is a product of joining content creation, web design, and storytelling skills together to translate Shengsi’s beauty in a digital format.
At first glance, Shengsi to the World is a compelling map with significant attention to detail. However, once you begin to scroll, you are drawn into a different world. Although there is a heavy emphasis on aesthetics, the main goal with this project is to tell a unique story. Each location featured on the map comes with an interview which introduces a more human aspect to the Shengsi experience.
The first location is Smooth Coffee, one of Shengsi’s first modern coffee shops where patrons can sit down for a cozy chat or pull out their laptop to begin a productive day. It might just seem like your ordinary ‘网红’ coffee shop, but beneath the surface it’s much more. Just a few minutes deep into conversation with the two female entrepreneurs who own the shop (and serve the coffee!) and you’re bound to have chills down your back. FanFan claims that this coffee shop is a manifestation of destiny, and uses its existence as a testimony for anyone who has a dream.
After refueling at Smooth Coffee, you can head across the bridge to one of Shengsi’s newest real estate developments, with the creators of China’s famed Sanya at the helm. The rapid development and modernization of this section on Shengsi is similar to that of Lujiazui in Shanghai, except much more serene and beautiful. After admiring the upscale, chic apartments with panoramic views of the water, sit down for a chat with Elva, one of the top brokers on the island. She can tell you all there is to know about investing in real estate on Shengsi, as well as the benefits of exchanging the hustling and bustling Shanghai life you might be used to, for a peaceful oasis across the ocean. She is also a female entrepreneur with plans to open a bar that specializes in DIY customer-created cocktails that can earn a spot on the official menu. Unique food and beverage concepts like Elva’s bar and Smooth Coffee are what sets Shengsi Island apart from your ordinary weekend getaway. One common thread amongst all Shengsi interviewees is their love for Shengsi’s “慢生活“ or “slow life”.
Shengsi to the World is a project which strives to convey the unique feeling of being on Shengsi to the island’s potential visitors online. The interviews and beautiful content embed within the map is a perfect means for you to get inspired and book your ticket today!