Caojing OPC

Caojing OPC (Open Platform Campus) was designed to solve a specific problem: how do you give nomads access to Shanghai’s infrastructure without drowning them in Shanghai’s intensity? The answer was a private island in the Jinshan district wetlands — close enough to the city for day trips, far enough to actually hear birds.

The island setup

A footbridge connects the campus to the mainland. The campus itself is a cluster of converted industrial buildings and purpose-built residence halls arranged around a central lawn and a small river arm. The floating boat workspace — a repurposed river barge with 20 standing desks — is OPC’s signature feature and is genuinely excellent for focused work.

International community

OPC actively recruits internationally and runs a visa sponsorship program for qualifying remote workers and entrepreneurs. The resident community routinely includes people from 20+ countries, which makes it the most cosmopolitan co-living base in mainland China.

Programming

OPC’s weekly events alternate between English and Chinese. Monthly demo nights attract investors and founders from Shanghai. Quarterly retreats take residents to other parts of China for 4-day working trips.

Getting to Shanghai

The express bus to Hongqiao Station runs every 30 minutes from 7am to 10pm and takes 50 minutes. From Hongqiao you’re on the metro network. For day trips with early starts, OPC also coordinates carpooling with resident commuters.

Who it’s for

International entrepreneurs who need to be in Shanghai’s orbit without living there. Remote workers at Western companies who need reliable connectivity and English-language community. Anyone who’s done the dense urban co-living experience and wants the same networking with a lungful of air.