Shaoxing Place Urban Renewal Project, China architectural renovation, Chinese design images

Shaoxing Place Urban Renewal Project in China

24 November 2024

Design: Kokaistudios

Location: Shaoxing, China

Photos: Terrence Zhang, CreatAR Images

Shaoxing Place by MixC, China

Located in the heart of Shaoxing’s ancient city, the project is only 2 kilometers away from the famous historic and tourist districts, and adjacent to Fushan Park and the Shaoxing Museum. Blessed by Shaoxing’s extensive network of riverways, the site is surrounded by water on all sides, while convenient urban accessibility is ensured with its primary accesses connected to the city’s main roads. As CR LAND’s first cultural, commercial, tourism, and residential complex in Shaoxing, the development adopts a “blocks + mall” commercial model, merging the historical legacy of the 871 Chip Factory with its valuable industrial memory. The project aspires to establish itself as a dynamic urban hub, combining dining, culture, entertainment, and retail, revitalizing the commercial and lifestyle ambiance of the ancient city.

With a GFA of approximately 61,000 sqm, the project retains 3 main factory buildings: A, B, and C. Kokaistudios lead the overall urban planning and architecture concept design for SHAOXING PLACE by MixC, the architecture renovation and architectural interior design of Factories A and C, as well as the architecture schematic design of new buildings.

Masterplan

The layout of the 3 preserved factory buildings is relatively dispersed, with a gap of up to 60m between Factories A and B. Additionally, the cleared surroundings resulted in empty spaces that challenge the pedestrian experience. Kokaistudios’ primary task was to reinterpret the massive industrial heritage, in a way that not only improves walkability and circulation but also maintains coherence and integrity across the site.

The design approach focused on creating a network of public spaces at 3 levels: a central square at the core; enclosed courtyards within 3 newly constructed villages; meticulously crafted atriums in Factories A and C.

Moreover, the team precisely defined the relationship between the site’s functional zoning and the surrounding environment. The design emphasizes a sense of transparency along the eastern waterfront interface, incorporating openings that allow the waterfront landscape to naturally blend with space within the site. The dining area is strategically arranged along the waterfront featuring outdoor courtyards to enhance an excellent viewing experience.

To increase the project’s commercial vibrancy, the East-West main axis has been transformed into a lively high-street, offering an ideal setting for diverse flagship stores, further ensuring SHAOXING PLACE’s commercial value and unique appeal.

Architectural and Spatial Renovation of Old Factories

Factory A was originally used for silicon wafer production, requiring stringent air quality controls. Therefore, its central section features a 2,000m2 grid-shaped ventilation floor supported by a cluster of 3.5m high columns, creating a closed independent space. Simply applying this space to traditional commercial layouts would not only disrupt the overall transparency but also significantly reduce the utilization efficiency on the second floor.

Kokaistudios innovatively retained the core section of this feature and introduced a circular corridor around the main structure, connecting it to the core section. As a result, the ventilation floor is transformed into a captivating visual island, serving as a versatile stage for exhibitions and fashion shows, adding value to the commercial space below.

The southern facade of Factory A, with its horizontal strip windows and curved staircases, showcases modern architectural elements. The design team preserved these features, transforming the two curved staircases into U-shaped glass towers. Today, these structures serve as a symbolic beacon that evokes memories of the old industrial spirit.

Prior to the renovation, Factory C was a single-story industrial building with a plain facade and a frame structure, significantly differing in height and roof shape from the other two factories. Kokaistudios partially removed the flat roof and added a second floor, incorporating a sloped roof while introducing large skylights to ensure ample natural light.

The renovated Factory C now resonates in volume and form with Factory A and B, while the newly added second floor creates a highly versatile atrium space. The architectural interior renovation is centered around the idea of a “house in house”: the outer shell of the factory is a large house, while the added second floor, enclosed by skylights, vertical side panels, and a horizontally folded ceiling, forms a smaller “house” inside. This interplay of volumes creates a design language marked by geometric elegance.

New Villages

To bridge the gap between Factories A and C, a new building was inserted between them, providing indoor connectivity and outdoor stepped terraces, enhancing the sense of enclosure between the two structures. The steps serve not only as a physical connection but also as a public space that encourages people to pause, relax, and unwind, enriching the overall functionality and cultural atmosphere.

3 additional villages were constructed, weaving and reinforcing the urban fabric. The design draws inspiration from old factories and divides the large volume into an organic composition of smaller “factory-like” structures. It avoids a singular and monotonous sloped roof, instead employing a method of offsetting to create variations in height. This approach preserves the traditional architectural language while giving the facades a more modern and dynamic appearance.

As urban development and iterations progress, a large number of industrial relics have entered a new phase of creative revitalization. Today, SHAOXING PLACE has transformed into a landmark destination for shopping, cultural engagement, and leisure activities. This successful renovation not only preserves the industrial heritage of the former 871 Chip Factory but also revitalizes it with new energy within a contemporary context, witnessing the vibrant and prosperous daily life of the city.

Shaoxing Place Urban Renewal Project in China – Information

Architects: Kokaistudios – https://www.kokaistudios.com/
Grand Opening: Sep.28, 2024
GFA: 6,1000 sqm

Design Company: Kokaistudios
Chief Architects: Filippo Gabbiani, Andrea Destefanis
Architecture Design Director: Pietro Peyron, Li Wei
Architecture Design Team: Chang Liu, Jingning Ji, Xingtong Tao, Ian Hsu, Kia Wei, Eva Maria Paz Taibo, Rui Wang, Andrea Antonucci, Jingjing Jiang, Tian Lu, Xiaoting Jin
Interior Design Director: Rake Wang
Interior Design Team: Sara Zhang, Ellen Cui, Shiyuan Wang, Alex Jiang, Qing Chang, Fede Nie, Alba Wang, Xueke Xiao

Photography: Terrence Zhang, CreatAR Images

Shaoxing Place Urban Renewal Project, China images / information received 241124 from Kokaistudios architect studio

Location: Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, China

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