Shanghai Lingang Special Area, Dishui Lake District Masterplan, Chinese Large Scale Architecture Images
Shanghai Lingang Special Area in the Dishui Lake District
18 May 2022
Architecture: Ennead Architects
Location: Dishui Lake District, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
Images © Ennead Architects
Shanghai Lingang Special Area, China
Ennead Architects, the internationally renowned architecture firm, unveiled the masterplan for the Shanghai Lingang Special Area, a new hub for global commerce. Designed around the central axis that joins the Dishui Lake district in the core of Shanghai, the masterplan establishes an iconic identity for a free trade zone and business district that will attract some of the world’s most prominent companies as it facilitates global trade. In total, Ennead’s large-scale plan includes four commercial buildings, over 89,000 sqm of retail, over 7,500 sqm of civic space, and over 28,000 sqm of open space.
“Our vision for the Lingang Special Area in Shanghai is to implement an international standard of architecture that reflects China’s role in 21st-century global commerce,” said Peter Schubert FAIA, Design Partner at Ennead Architects. “The integrated design of the mixed-use site lends itself to a variety of elevated experiences for the local community and tourists alike in the center of this high-profile business district.”
As a free trade zone, the site occupies an important commercial, political, and civic role, with its design providing a functional area where multinational corporations can optimize business operations, while also creating open spaces for the surrounding communities to enjoy. Reflecting the desire for beautifully designed buildings alongside civic communal spaces, Ennead’s masterplan envisions a memorable integrated work of urban design, landscape, and architecture.
Key features of the Shanghai Lingang Special Area include:
“The Ring,” the dramatic centerpiece symbolizing prosperity and unity: The site radiates from this state-of-the-art circular, cantilevered observation deck and museum with exhibition spaces, supported by four mixed-use towers. The structure will afford 360-degree views of nearby Dishui Lake, Shanghai, and the Pacific Ocean, while providing space for premier cultural experiences. Combining long, curved spans and structural glazing, the ring is an engineering marvel designed in collaboration with structural engineer JAE and facade consultant RFR. At night, The Ring will be activated with light shows and events.
Two towers with world-class office spaces for global corporations: Flanking The Ring are two towers that will accommodate corporations from around the globe, solidifying the site’s position as a nexus for some of the world’s most influential companies. The Tower Waterfall and Tower Rhomboid are designed with memorable aesthetics: a gently curving gouge is carved into the sides of Tower Waterfall while Tower Rhomboid features angular sawtooth patterning that distorts the perception of glass versus solid from different vantage points.
A series of unified sub-districts with unique identities: Accommodating a variety of civic functions, degrees of density, and natural and built environments for people to work in and inhabit, the sub-districts include: the Quad of Free Trade, Eco and Art Centers, the Mixed-Use Commercial Zone and the Mixed-Use Residential Neighborhood. Commercial and retail spaces will be linked by a collection of elevated, linear parks with local flora; landscaped, pedestrian paths; and a gently curving avenue of interconnected, landscaped buildings called the Financial Crescent, a unique gathering space that unifies the entire district.
Sustainability and nature at the heart of Lingang Special Area: Landscaped pedestrian spaces and lush rooftop gardens bring office workers and residents closer to nature. Ennead designed the site to act as a sponge city, in which the abundant green spaces play a key role in absorbing excess rainwater, helping to mitigate any potential damage from storms and flooding, while also moderating temperatures and reducing erosion. Moreover, as it is situated on the circular Dishui Lake, Ennead took inspiration from natural motifs to inform the design of the site, looking to the forms of and ripples on the lake to create a built environment that reflects the natural world.
“The ambition was to create a 21st century free trade hub that elevates the profile of Shanghai as a global economic player,” said Grace Chen, Principal and Director of Asia Practice at Ennead Architects. “Ennead’s masterplan and designs for individual plots support this vision by establishing a compelling and inspired identity that speaks to the importance of this region.”
Ennead Architects established an office in Shanghai in 2014 and has been active in Asia for many years. The firm has completed more than 40 projects in China, with a total construction area of over 2.3 million square meters. Ennead’s work in China spans ground-up new construction of hi-tech and commercial office complexes, to adaptive re-use of existing historic and industrial buildings, to major cultural projects. Ennead has designed many leading innovation campuses including: Huawei Research and Development Campus; Taopu Smart City; Lingang Science and Technology City; Shanghai MixC Park; and Pujiang Science and Creation Corridor. The firm is also responsible for the highly acclaimed Shanghai Astronomy Museum which opened in 2021 and the much-anticipated Shenzhen International Performance Center.
About Ennead Architects
Renowned for its innovative cultural, educational, scientific, commercial, and civic building designs that authentically express the progressive missions of their institutions and enhance the vitality of the public realm, Ennead has been a leader in the design world for decades. The recipient of the prestigious Smithsonian Institution-Cooper Hewitt National Design Award, the AIANY Medal of Honor, and the National AIA Firm Award, as well as numerous design awards for individual buildings, Ennead has a body of work that is diverse in typology, scale and location.
The firm’s collaborative process is based in extensive research involving the analysis of context, program, public image, emerging technologies, and a commitment to sustainable solutions.
Renders © Ennead Architects
Shanghai Lingang Special Area, Dishui Lake District images / information received 180522 from Ennead Architects
Design: Ennead Architects – www.ennead.com
Location: Shanghai, People’s Republic of China, eastern Asia
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