Foster + Partners has revealed designs for the Changfeng mixed-use development, which will form an integral part of the Shanghai Science and Technology Finance cluster in the city’s Putuo District. Part of the wider Shanghai 2035 Masterplan, the scheme sets a new benchmark for developments across the city, stitching into an existing network of public green spaces to enhance wellbeing.
Centring on the ‘LWP’ model, the practice’s design seeks to provide new high-quality spaces for ‘living, working and playing.’ The development brings together a rich mix of retail, offices, affordable housing, public facilities including an arts centre, and recreational areas.
Gerard Evenden, Head of Studio, Foster + Partners, said: “The project transforms an industrial area into a vibrant mixed-use neighbourhood in the heart of Shanghai. The human-scale development is designed to improve connectivity across the site, bringing people together and improving wellbeing through art, greenery and outstanding new public spaces.”
A central green axis runs directly through the development, from north to south, connecting its two main access nodes. Smaller secondary streets intercept with the central axis to create a highly permeable and accessible scheme. The streets are designed at human scale and buildings step back for natural ventilation, creating characterful and healthy spaces for the community to enjoy.
At the heart of the scheme, a flexible arts centre known as Jia Art, features 5000 square-metres of exhibition, event, and educational spaces. Inspired by the spring blessing flower that is native to the local park, the petal-like structure embraces a generous central plaza that sits at the intersection of two primary axis. The arts centre provides a range of public spaces where the local community can gather and exchange ideas. The interior space follows the same petal-like form and is crowned by a glass roof, which brings natural light deep into the central atrium. The building’s upper façades are made from tubular glass with stainless-steel back panelling, which can be lit up to dramatically animate the development at night.
Offices are located to the north of the central axis, providing a new landmark on the busy Jinshajiang road. The towers offer exceptional views of the city and Changfeng Park, and include a range of amenity spaces, which act as a catalyst for collaboration. Multi-level terraces are combined with flexible floorplates to cater for a variety of tenants. Double-height sky atriums and roof terraces form a vertical green landscape and enhance natural ventilation within the towers. The office buildings’ metal facades feature horizontal canopies and vertical fins, which are positioned to optimise energy efficiency, while Crittall windows at the podium level nod to the site’s industrial past.
