Il Salone Contract fa tappa a Shanghai: in Cina mercato da 20 miliardi

The Salone Contract kicked off in Shanghai, marking its first stop on the Salone Contract Tour, a promotional roadshow introducing the new project from the Milan-based Salone del Mobile to an international audience. The Chinese market is estimated to be worth between 20 and 25 billion euros, accounting for about 72% of the potential contract market across Asia-Pacific.

Shanghai was chosen as the tour's first destination due to the city's significant transformation, which is shaping the way tenders, standards, specifications, and supplies are defined. This transformation includes large-scale mixed-use developments, the requalification of existing assets, the hospitality sector, and new housing models.

Maria Porro, president of the Salone del Mobile di Milano, explains that the mixed-use concept highlights a more significant shift, as design is increasingly considered in the construction of real estate value. For businesses, this means that a hotel must attract guests and build a brand identity, a workplace must offer people a reason to be present, retail must increase dwell time and customer desire, and residential projects must incorporate more amenities akin to hospitality.

The Tour aims to identify these evolving trends in various markets, engaging developers, architects, interior designers, and other stakeholders who generate and direct demand. Within the contract market, living spaces represent 48% of the potential, encompassing traditional residences, rental housing, student housing, co-living, and senior living.

Offices comprise 24%, retail accounts for 18%, and hospitality makes up 10%. The mixed-use segment connects these segments and expands the demand for solutions capable of serving multiple asset classes. Opportunities in the market are not limited to new constructions; between 2026 and 2030, China plans to launch the renovation of approximately 115,000 urban residential complexes, opening a demand for housing, shared spaces, services, amenities, and overall living experience quality.

Hospitality remains a significant pipeline, with Shanghai having 109 hotel projects as of late June 2026, while China has 3,588 projects in various development stages, of which 2,547 are already under construction. In Asia-Pacific, branded residence projects have grown by 55% over the past five years, indicating a demand where companies must balance an international brand's standards with creating a specific identity for each project.

For Italian businesses, this theme resonates with a significant existing commercial presence. According to Salone's data, FederlegnoArredo's exports to China reached 364 million euros in 2025 and 144 million euros in the first half of 2026.