MVRDV has unveiled a combination master plan and architectural design for what will be known as Shanghai’s riverside leisure and cultural district. Gate M West Band Dream Center. The project, which is already under construction, will transform a collection of buildings of different styles and eras, making use of existing structures and adapting a former industrial area to minimize carbon emissions. Become. The design concept is based on the movement of people, expressed through a network of bright orange roads, stairs, ramps, and bridges, transforming a patchwork of disused and unfinished buildings into a unified whole, creating a lively and lively atmosphere on the streets. A design that creates a certain atmosphere. On the banks of the Huangpu River.
Located south of Shanghai city center, the project continues the expansion of a series of emerging cultural projects near the river on Shanghai’s West Bund. Two completely different buildings of his own currently stand on this site. Several large industrial structures represent remnants of the area’s history as a cement factory, and the spaces between are filled with unfinished buildings from previous renovations.
MVRDV’s site master plan retains all of these existing structures, takes a lighter approach to renovating more recent structures, conserves as much existing materials as possible, and reduces the carbon associated with site remodeling. emissions are kept to a minimum. Old industrial buildings receive a bolder treatment, emphasizing their industrial heritage and distinguishing between old and new. Many industrial buildings become cultural spaces, and new buildings typically include hotels, restaurants, cafes, and retail stores. Inspired by the history of the place, movement was a key principle of the design. Previously, this area was organized around the movement of raw materials for cement production. In the future, people will be able to move freely and as efficiently as before.
The site is organized around a major axis that forms the main public areas, with landscape design provided by James Corner Field Operations. The most important of these axes is the central spine, which forms the main route from one end of the site to the other. But the defining element of the masterplan is how the different levels are used, with a working rooftop, a series of elevated riverside terraces, and a network of stairs and elevators to create an eye-catching three-dimensional promenade through the site. is forming. Orange.
“This project is an excellent demonstration of how the time between building realization and renovation is becoming shorter.”, MVRDV founding partner says jacob van rys. “Until now, we were renovating only early culturally significant buildings. Here we are renovating not only 20th century industrial heritage sites, but even unfinished buildings from recent years. It will show how much value cities have in existing structures that are ripe for designers to unleash.”
In the master plan, Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects and Shanghai-based architects Atelier DeHaus will provide the architectural design for the buildings on the northern half of the site. MVRDV will design the buildings on the southern half of the site, including the district’s central structure, a former warehouse later known as Dream Center Hall.
Before the renovation, the building was an imposing but skeletal structure with two concrete-framed walls and an expansive steel truss roof. MVRDV’s design uses minimalist glass infill to emphasize the raw, raw original structure, transforming the building into a destination that combines leisure and culture, with retail and cafes on the lower floors. , a restaurant, and a large exhibition and event space on the top floor. Advantage of spacious space without pillars. The mezzanine above this overlooks the river and offers city views from the restaurant with an outdoor terrace.
The Dream Center Hall lobby forms part of the masterplan’s central spine, running through the building from one side to the other. In addition to the interior staircase, one of the design’s most striking features is the exterior staircase, finished in orange cladding and orange-tinged glass, that rises along one side of the building. The external staircase, adapted from an existing conveyor belt structure, connects to the masterplan’s three-dimensional promenade and includes a platform with space for seating, pop-up exhibitions and retail space, and one landing space. Contains a cafe.
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Press release and image provided by: MVRDV