Shanghai Vanke Longhua
The project Vanke Longhua is situated in the West Bound Art District. Vanke Longhua is the most representative project of the development of China’s urban construction in the moment. Diverse of urban problems and contradictions meet here. No successful theory and experience can be used for reference, but resolving the problems and contradictions contains tremendous possibility, which is also the crucial requirement to unfold a new era of urban development.
Let sleeping art in galleries enter the city so that citizens can perceive the existence of art, develop artistic accomplishment, and enhance aesthetic ability, which is the inevitable outcome that Longhua combines commercial orientation and a cultural demand in the society successfully. Hence, the project is a new design to integrate the new commercial orientation in terms of planning, architecture, interior business spaces, signage etc.
Duo to the messy and complex environment of current architectural situation in Longhua area, the design creates a whole block with grand and narrative sense. The continuous, stretching, and dynamic form ascends from the south to the north, from the west to the east gradually, and echos a series of boundary conditions of the cultural heritage — Longhua Temple, as well as the modern industrial heritage — Longhua Port, which tries to redefine the local urban pattern and spatial image. The site is separated into two parts by the road, then viewing corridors dissect the two parts into smaller volumes. Ultimately, the north part is partitioned again by office buildings. For that reason, this is a whole overwhelming architectural image, and it is also a architectural complex, separated continuously, with appreciate scale.
Three art galleries lie in the art hall, going down to level two underground vertically, and connecting the north and the south part horizontally, which organizes the intricate circulation as well as create a whole art space for activities. The art yard in the north area echoes the Longhua pagoda. There are two levels of difference in height between the art yard and the art hall. A curved art valley connects the two spaces.
Undoubtedly, the particularity and complexity of Vanke Longhua raises a common question, for the design, that is how traditional architectural heritage coexists with commercial consumption and urban public spaces. The design of facades set the Longhua pagoda as a core. Different from traditional facade design, the design takes advantage of the square between the Longhua Temple and the Longhua pagoda to create a perspective view in depth. As a result of this action, a complete public area is introduced by the project as well as the temple, the pagoda, and the square in front of the temple. We designed an open square around the pagoda, in which a wood of pine trees growing builds the peaceful atmosphere that religious buildings should have. Close to one side of the project, planted trees shield the back curtain wall. The facades apply extensive undulated glass wall system, on which the image of the Longhua pagoda is projected and reflected. The undulated glass wall breaks the image of the entire landscape to form a blur state.
