Shanghai, China
“Our vision for the Lingang Special Area in Shanghai is to implement an international standard of architecture that reflects China’s role in 21st-century global commerce,” says Peter Schubert, Design Partner at Ennead Architects.
“The integrated design of the mixed-use site lends itself to a variety of elevated experiences for the local community and tourists alike in the center of this high-profile business district,” Schubert adds.
Ennead Architects has revealed the design for the new Shanghai Lingang Special Area Masterplan, which will be a new hub for global commerce, a large-scale masterplan is designed on the central axis that is shaped around the Dishui Lake district in the core of Shanghai.
Their new master plan is set to be built as an iconic identity for a free trade zone and business district that will attract some of the world’s most prominent companies as it facilitates global trade.
The master plan will include four commercial buildings, covering over 89,000 square meters of retail, over 7,500 square meters of civic space, and over 28,000 square meters of open space.
Designed as a free trade zone, the site has lots of potential in terms of an important commercial, political, and civic role. Its design provides a functional area where multinational corporations can optimize business operations, while also creating open spaces for the surrounding communities to enjoy.
Reflecting the desire for beautifully designed buildings alongside civic communal spaces, Ennead’s master plan envisions a memorable integrated work of urban design, landscape, and architecture.
The Shanghai Lingang Special Area master plan includes key features. For example, the practice adds a state-of-the-art circular, cantilevered observation deck, called The Ring, which will be a dramatic centerpiece symbolizing prosperity and unity.
A cantilevered observation deck and museum, offering 360-degree views of nearby Dishui Lake, Shanghai, and the Pacific Ocean, includes exhibition spaces that are supported by four mixed-use towers.
The structure will provide a dedicated space for premier cultural experiences.
The cantilevered deck combines long, curved spans and features structural glazing.
The two towers will offer world-class office spaces for global corporations: Flanking The Ring are two towers that will accommodate corporations from around the globe, solidifying the site’s position as a nexus for some of the world’s most influential companies.
“A gently curving gouge is carved into the sides of Tower Waterfall while Tower Rhomboid features angular sawtooth patterning that distorts the perception of glass versus solid from different vantage points,” claims Ennead Architects.
The design scheme contains a series of unified sub-districts with unique identities, such as a variety of civic functions, degrees of density, and natural and built environments integrated into the design to work in and inhabit.
The sub-districts include the Quad of Free Trade, Eco and Art Centers, the Mixed-Use Commercial Zone, and the Mixed-Use Residential Neighborhood.
Commercial and retail spaces are connected by a collection of elevated, linear parks with local flora; landscaped, pedestrian paths; and a gently curving avenue of interconnected, landscaped buildings called the Financial Crescent, a unique gathering space that unifies the entire district.
Ennead envisions the master plan based on sustainability and nature principles. For instance, landscaped pedestrian spaces and lush rooftop gardens bring office workers and residents closer to nature.
“The ambition was to create a 21st-century free trade hub that elevates the profile of Shanghai as a global economic player,” says Grace Chen, Principal and Director of Asia Practice at Ennead Architects.
“Ennead’s masterplan and designs for individual plots support this vision by establishing a compelling and inspired identity that speaks to the importance of this region,” she continues.
Project: Lingang Special Area
Architects: Ennead Architects LLP
Design Partner: Peter Schubert
Photographers: Ennead Architects LLP
