Shanghai Architects Office Celebrates 10th Anniversary, Buildings, Chinese Architecture Office, Images
Benoy Shanghai Celebrates 10th Anniversary
Significant Chinese Architectural Projects Developments by Benoy Architects
3 Sep 2018
Benoy Shanghai Architects Office
Design: Benoy, Architects
Location: Shanghai, China
Benoy Shanghai
L to R: Tom Cartledge (Benoy CEO), Qin Pang (Benoy Director), Graham Cartledge (Benoy Chairman), John Edwards (British Consul-General in Shanghai) and Simon Wong (Benoy Director) cut the ribbon to officially open Benoy’s expanded Shanghai studio
Following a momentous 70th year in 2017, Benoy celebrated its 10 year anniversary in Shanghai on 30 August. Alongside a newly unveiled design studio and a collection of openings and completions, Benoy Shanghai has also shown it is looking to the future with a portfolio of significant projects which aim to shape the next decade for the design studio in China.
Shanghai ICC and iAPM – Designed by this architecture practice and home to Benoy’s Shanghai studio
Shanghai on the rise
Benoy established its first studio outside of the UK in Hong Kong in 2002, opening the gateway to the Asia Pacific region. Building upon a suite of successful collaborations and projects being delivered in China from Hong Kong, Benoy founded its studio in Shanghai in 2008. Established by a small team, Benoy set down roots on Nanjing Road with support from colleagues from the Hong Kong and London studios. Today, this small founding team is still with Benoy – Qin Pang, now Director and Head of Shanghai, alongside Emi Wang, Carrie Mei, Wei Tang and Sherry Wu.
From a small team of five, the Shanghai studio has undergone immense growth over the last decade. The team now numbers almost 80 and works from a newly refurbished studio within a development designed by Benoy, ICC Shanghai.
“I am incredibly proud to have been one of our first founding members and to still be working alongside the same team that joined the Benoy office in Shanghai back in 2008,” said Qin Pang. “The milestone we celebrate today is a testament to Benoy’s culture as a global family as well as the talent and commitment of our team and the partners we work with.”
A compelling portfolio
The expansion of the Shanghai studio and team reflects the growing portfolio of work undertaken by this architecture firm. The team has celebrated a number of project completions in 2018 including the twin tower development The New Bund World Trade Center (Phase I) in the Qiantan Central Business District, the innovative retail village Joy City in Hangzhou, as well as the upcoming Alibaba HQ in Hongqiao.
“To see so many of the Shanghai team’s designs coming to completion in the 10th anniversary year is a wonderful moment for Benoy. There’s no better way to celebrate their success over the last decade than to see this work, both completed and on the drawing board, actively shaping the cities in which we work,” said Tom Cartledge, CEO of the architecture company.
Benoy’s Shanghai team is also busy designing its next generation of projects. The conversion of a waterfront ice factory into a retail-led destination in Nanjing, an Arts Center in Hangzhou and a Science and Innovation Park in Shanghai are just some of the many projects on the drawing board which look to bring the firm’s brand of commercial creativity and engaging ‘Places for people’ to cities across China and beyond.
Anniversary celebrations
The architecture office team commemorated the anniversary with a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open the newly designed studio in ICC Shanghai. Benoy Chairman, Graham Cartledge CBE and Benoy CEO, Tom Cartledge joined the celebrations alongside the Asia Directorship and special guest John Edwards, the British Consul-General in Shanghai. The event was followed by an evening reception hosted within another of Benoy’s developments, iAPM.
This global architectural firm will also celebrate its 10th anniversary in Singapore later this year.
Benoy Architects Shanghai Celebrates 10th Anniversary images / information received 030918
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7 Oct 2017
Benoy Architects Promotions News 2017
Gregory Kovacs Appointed Director, Benoy’s Shanghai Studio
Benoy is delighted to announce the appointment of Gregory Kovacs, formerly at Heatherwick Studio, as a Director in the Shanghai studio. Gregory will be located at the London Campus before a permanent relocation to Shanghai in early 2018.
Gregory will report to Qin Pang and Simon Wong, under whose leadership the Shanghai studio has expanded and enjoyed enormous success. He will collaborate with the Design Council and is extremely well placed to support the studio which continues to go from strength-to-strength.
As Project Leader at Heatherwick Studio, his most recent projects include the Fosun Foundation Art Gallery and the Bund Finance Center, a mixed-use development in Shanghai. He was also the founder of their computational design unit of the practice, a specialist division focusing on the conception and delivery of geometrically complex structures.
Gregory trained as an architect and engineer at Budapest University of Technology and at the Architectural Association in London. His art work has been exhibited and published internationally, and he was a unit master at the undergraduate school of the Bartlett UCL and taught at the Diploma and Intermediate Schools of the Architectural Association.
“Gregory is the ninth director in 18 months to join us from leading firms including Fosters, HOK, RTKL, Herzog de Meuronand Atkins. Added to this we have promoted from within. We don’t aspire to be anyone else – we are Benoy – but it is deeply rewarding to attract and retain high calibre talent who possess a broad skill set and want to help us succeed in being at the cutting edge of design and all that we do. Together we can achieve our vision of building on an outstanding 70-year heritage and evolving our business to be the leading commercial creative design team,” says Tom Cartledge, CEO, Benoy.
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12 Dec 2013
Benoy Shanghai News
Benoy Celebrates Five Years in Shanghai with Two New Retail Landmarks
Benoy, a world leader in Architecture, Masterplanning, Interior Architecture and Graphic Design, is celebrating its five year anniversary in Shanghai with the opening of two landmark developments. iAPM Mall and Jing An Kerry Centre have both launched to the public and bring with them award-winning designs and concepts to China’s largest city.
Benoy Celebrates Five Years in Shanghai:
image from architect
Fifth Anniversary
Benoy is now recognised as a truly international company with a global reach extending to over 50 countries. Asia, particularly China, has played an important role in the firm’s expansion. Over the last five years, Benoy has seen its turnover in the mainland increase more than 40%. Since establishing a permanent office in Shanghai in 2008, Benoy has built a strong presence adding Shanghai ICC, ifc mall (pictured further down this page), Plaza 889 and the new iAPM Mall and Jing An Kerry Centre to its growing portfolio.
Jing An Kerry Centre Galleria:
image from architect
“During our time in Shanghai we have seen our team expand from six to 50. Due to our large portfolio in the city, we have also had the unique opportunity to base our office in one of our own designs, Shanghai ICC. The exposure for us has been extremely important in showcasing Benoy; a factor which continues to contribute to the success of our pipeline of future work”, commented Trevor Vivian, Director in Shanghai.
Coinciding with their openings, iAPM Mall and Jing An Kerry Centre were both named winners at the heavily-contested 2013 MIPIM Asia Awards, taking home the Gold Award (Best Retail and Leisure Development) and Silver Award (Best Mixed-Use Development) respectively. Benoy was appointed for the full scope of work on iAPM Mall, delivering the Masterplan, Architecture, Interior and Graphic Design. For Jing An Kerry Centre, Benoy’s leading retail designers were commissioned to deliver the luxury retail podium connecting the mixed-use development.
The recent wins add to Benoy’s exciting outlook in the rapidly expanding city which notably includes the highly anticipated third central business district. The Lujiazui Pudong Qiantan development is set to attract over RMB 10 billion in future investment to the area and reflects Benoy’s reputation as a leading and visionary firm trusted to shape the landscape of modern Shanghai.
A British Brand in China
Benoy has been successfully performing in the wider China region for the last 11 years. Not only working in first tier cities, the firm has deepened its reach with projects in Chengdu, Shenyang, Tianjin, Jinan, Qingdao, Xi’an, Wuxi, Changsha and Suzhou. As a result, Benoy has gained significant experience and insight into the economic and cultural intricacies of operating in the country. As confirmation of the firm’s reputation, Benoy’s Chairman, Graham Cartledge CBE, was invited on the recent ministerial delegation to China led by UK Prime Minister, David Cameron.
“An important factor in our success in China has been to utilise local knowledge. Our developments are delivered by a team of local and UK experts, and we ensure both opinions are engaged”, explained Graham Cartledge CBE, Chairman of Benoy.
“To be successful in China, firms need to adapt their workforce. Sometimes we see UK brands trying to impose the same style that has served them well at home into different markets, and they wonder why it often does not work. At Benoy, we understand the importance and value of our local designers. This is why we are working with leading UK retailers to create stores that integrate into the local market but maintain their British brand”.
There is an increasing appetite in China for innovation which has offered Benoy the opportunity to work on large-scale, fast-moving projects. Benoy has subsequently exported its knowledge and strategies throughout its global team.
“Projects in China, for example, are much more focused on delivering a mixed-use offer. Town planning and new developments are striving to create 24 hour destinations combining living, working and entertainment with transport at their heart”, said Graham Cartledge.
“This is an interesting and pertinent concept, and one that can be applied in the UK and countries around the world. As congestion, increased populations and strain is placed on existing structures, new thinking and on-the-ground experience allow our team to effectively respond to these design challenges”.
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27 Sep 2012
Benoy Awards News
Benoy Triumph at ICSC Awards, Shanghai
Recognised as a world leader in Architecture, Masterplanning, Interior Architecture and Graphics Design, Benoy is honoured to announce the international company has received two Asia Pacific Shopping Center Awards at the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) Asia Retail Real Estate World Summit 2012.
Hosted at RECon Asia in Shanghai, the prestigious industry awards recognize the most cutting-edge and innovative properties and industry excellence. This year, Parc 66 received the top Gold Award in the ‘New Design & Development’ category and the special ‘Sustainable Design’ award.
Situated in Shandong province’s capitol city of Jinan and at the heart of the city’s fastest developing district is Parc 66, ideally located on the iconic ‘Golden Avenue’. The development has been designed to create a striking new landmark or the heart of the city.
Reflecting the region’s natural beauty in its design, Parc 66 takes its theme from the surrounding lakes and springs, embodying a fluid design with its undulating roofs, green spaces, curved façades and water themed interior design, the cutting edge technology and timeless design brings vibrancy and caters for a new level of luxury to the cities increasingly affluent community.
The interior design concept was inspired by the ‘Springs of Jinan’, realised through the use of crisp materials and the incorporation of a classic water motif throughout the interior design, graphics and wayfinding, the design has been critical in establishing an identity and emotional element to the space.
Simon Blore, Managing Director, Benoy Asia said:
‘We are delighted to have triumphed at the ICSC Awards and to have our innovative designs recognised; we believe this consolidates our long standing reputation for design excellence in Asia. We truly believe there should be no conflict between functionality and form with design, innovation and creativity can be commercially successful, we look forward to continuing to create new benchmarks in international retail design. ICSC is a body that rigorously promotes the creation of successful retail centres and so for Benoy to win these two highly prized awards are a huge honour for us.’
Facts:
Location: 188 Quancheng Road, Jinan, Shandong, China
Developer: Hang Lung Properties
Size: 171,000 m2
Interior Architect: Benoy
Retail Planning: Benoy
Architect: P&T International
Graphic Designer – Benoy
Location: Shanghai, China
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Shanghai Architecture Studios – architecture firm contact details on e-architect
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Fengpu Avenue Master Plan in Shanghai
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