Shanghai, China
Located in in Jinqiao, Pudong, Shanghai, the Shanghai International Fortune Centre by Ken Wai of Aedas for Shanghai Qiaohe Properties comprises two high-rise office towers interlinked through a three-story podium housing commercial purposes.
The Shanghai International Fortune Centre has recently been awarded a 2022 International Architecture Awards Honorable Mention by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.
Surrounded by multiple Metro lines and arterial roads, it is closely connected to the Lujiazui CBD in the west and Zhangjiang Hi-tech Park in the south.
The development occupies an inverted L shape site along a tributary of Huangpu River and is bordered by iconic commercial buildings from the 1990s.
“Considering these geographical conditions, the heart of the design accentuates the challenge of taking full advantage of the waterfront landscape while arranging the business elements pragmatically—ultimately to promote the building as an emblem that reflects the city’s character,” states Aedas Global Design Principal Ken Wai.
The plot is divided into two by a public road, with green space in the east, two high-rise office buildings, and other ancillary functions in the west.
A podium is set to bridge the twin towers and is equipped with F&B and retail services to meet the needs of office-goers.
Situated on the south side of the site, the 31-story-height tower includes a refuge floor and plants on the 12th and 21st floor, whereas, on the north side, there is a 19-story-height tower.
Two towers are interlinked through podiums on the second and third floors which are occupied with commercial purposes.
The whole structure also contains three underground levels.
Commercial and retail are distributed on the first floor of the north tower, as well as on the first three levels of the podium on the south side of the south tower alongside the double-height lobbies.
The cascading roofs are ideal to generate outdoor terraces and roof gardens.
The intersection of blocks reforms the skyline with vertical linearity, while the smoothness of roofs corresponds to the design concept driven by the idea of ‘Set Sail.’
The design concept of sail-setting is derived from the crisscrossing rivers in the area.
The staggered placements of rectangular blocks and the crisp linear facade lines conjure up the image of a sailboat.
The subtle curves on the podium roof, refuge stories, and tower crown evoke a sense of rhythm that resembles propelling sails, symbolizing the prosperous development of Jinqiao, sailing for a bright future.
Introducing a light design on the rooftop of the towers, this project, together with New Jinqiao Tower and Minghang Tower embody the vitality of economic and urban development of the Jingqiao area.
Project: Shanghai International Fortune Centre
Architects: Aedas
Lead Architect: Ken Wai
General Contractor: Shanghai Construction No.7 (Group) Co., Ltd.
Client: Shanghai Qiaohe Properties Co., Ltd.
Photographs Courtesy of the Architects
