Copper Blockhouse Shanghai, Modern East China building, Chinese exhibition and cafe architecture images
Copper Blockhouse in Shanghai, China
24 April 2024
Design: Wutopia Lab
Location: Shanghai, China
Photos © CreatAR Images
Copper Blockhouse, Shanghai
Copper Blockhouse · Full Metal Jacket – No fear. No distractions. The ability to let that which does not matter truly slide.
You’re not your job. You’re not how much money you have in the bank. You’re not the car you drive. You’re not the contents of your wallet. You’re not your khakis. You’re the all-singing, all-dancing crap of the world.
In 2021, I was invited by my friend Qiye, to design a central building in the center of the creative industry park that I renovated for him. However, we are both spaced out those days as our wives are facing a similar dilemma. We are distracted, yet tried to take our minds off anxiety by working, but it was hard to fully concentrate.
Various possibilities of functions such as clubs and cafés were vetoed, as these ordinary functions cannot convince the two middle-aged men who were in panic. Eventually, we agreed on a multi-functional spiritual fortress as the central building. I said to Qiye that we needed to justify our existence, which was impossible for successful commercial development to achieve. The museum is the church of the modern age, and it might settle our disturbed souls. Therefore, we used the museum as the base of the work.
Nautical machinery and ships are huge metal objects, therefore, I decided to build the building entirely of metal, and copper was chosen in the end. I am superstitious that metal shell is strong enough to protect our frightened souls.
I Want to Build a Copper Blockhouse the Way a Ship is Built
First you have to give up. First you have to know, not fear, know that someday you’re gonna die. It’s only after we’ve lost everything that we’re free to do anyting.
The form of the design is the original arched shed on the site. The building is an arch, and that’s it. It was the nautical machine factory that inspired me to build this fortress the way a ship is built. Therefore, the construction of the building started with the keel, which was made of welded structural steel from 150mm to 220mm wide, covered by copper plates on both sides to form the internal and external facades. This is the origin of Full Metal Jacket.
There’s a gleaming stainless-steel space in the fortress, the cabin of the ship. It funcions a café, as well as a stage, with a kitchen and a bathroom. This is the only decoration of the Copper Blockhouse, symbolizing the sharpness of our souls, and the desires behind.
The grass on the north side of the fortress was designed into a huge black wading pool. The Copper Blockhouse is then presented as a submarine, emerging from water surface like a shimmering whale, quietly, silently, rippling inside.
Despite Nowhere to go, this Building is Our Salvation
Every evening, I died and every evening, I was born again. Resurrected.
The rest of the park was designed by an excellent architect who gave the park a new look. However, I kept the newspaper wall on south side of the shed, the human security, the big tree, and the rockery. I tried to remain some fragments of the memory of the site because I am increasingly reluctant to forget. Each building in the park is abundantly designed, and that’s why I preferred to keep the Copper Blockhouse simple. If the whole park is a partita, the Copper Blockhouse is a silent pause.
I ambushed a variety of possibilities in this “pause”, the fortress – exhibitions, performances, lectures, parties, a museum, even skateboarding activities. The café can be used as a stage if keep the gate towards the pool open. With the water surface drawing down, a glittering catwalk appears. We once imagined here to be a dramatic show, but after the year of 2022, I’ve changed my mind. I hope there would be glorious fireworks, a choir performance on the water, singing about the pain and the hope. Because “What’s past is prologue.”
This is your life, and it’s ending one minute at a time.
The name “Copper Blockhouse” is inspired by an air raid shelter reserved on the project site, a solid fortress.
Without pain, without sacrifice, we would have nothing.
Copper Blockhouse in Shanghai, China – Building Information
Architects: Wutopia Lab – https://www.wutopialab.com/
Project name: Copper Blockhouse
Chief architect: YU Ting
Project manager: MU Zhilin
Design team: MI Kejie, XU Nan, DAI Ruoyu
Construction drawing design firm: Shanghai Southeast United Engineering Design Co., Ltd
Client: Shanghai Jiayun Investment Management Development Co., Ltd
Construction firm: Shanghai Qikufangyun Culture Technology Co., Ltd
Lighting consultant: ZHANG Chenlu
Photo Credits: CreatAR Images
Project location: Pudong, Shanghai, China
Project year: 2021.4-2023.4
Area: 405 sqm
Materials: copper, stainless steel, micro cement, glass
Photography: CreatAR Images
Copper Blockhouse, Shanghai, China images / information received 240424
Location: Shanghai, People’s Republic of China, eastern Asia
Shanghai Building Designs
Contemporary Shanghai Building Designs – recent architectural selection on e-architect below:
Office tower in Suhewan
Design: Foster + Partners
photos © Zhurunzi,
Suhe Centre for China Resources Land
Bulgari flagship store, Shanghai Plaza 66, Nanjing Road
Design: MVRDV, The Netherlands
photo © Bulgari
Bulgari Shanghai retail façade design by MVRDV
Tough Planet Coffee and Market, Huangpu District
Design: ATAH Architecture Office
photo © Zhi Xia
Tough Planet Coffee and Market
Introlemons
Design: AIM Architecture
Introlemons Shanghai, Lemon Tea Store
ASSEMBLE by Réel retail design
Interior Design: Kokaistudios
ASSEMBLE by Réel
PARKLIFE | Spatial Installation In The Downtown, Middle Huaihai Road, Xintiandi shopping area
Design: TEAM_BLDG
PARKLIFE Spatial Installation Shanghai Downtown
Buildings in Shanghai
New Shanghai Architecture
Shanghai Architecture Designs – chronological list
Shanghai Architecture Tours by e-architect
Kailong Jiajie Plaza Transformation, Hongkou District
Architects: AIM Architecture
Kailong Jiajie Plaza Transformation
Minhang Riverfront Regeneration, Minhang district, Shanghai, China
Design: SPARK
Minhang Riverfront Regeneration
Shanghai Architect – architectural firm listings on e-architect
Comments / photos for the Copper Blockhouse, Shanghai, China design by Wutopia Lab page welcome.