Location: Shanghai, China.

Architect: Ennead Architects.

Taopu Smart City is a new research and development neighbourhood located on the western edge of Shanghai. The design of the district is inspired by calligraphic lines, linear terraced landscapes, interconnected linear infrastructure networks, and the simple gesture of a linear ribbon. The district is designed to actively engage with its context, creating strong visual, pedestrian, and infrastructure connections with the surrounding site, district, and city. The site is situated in close proximity to Tongji University’s West Shanghai Campus, making it an ideal location for a research and development district. The design of the district features a series of linear building edges that enclose five public parks, unifying the overall site. These linear forms turn upwards to become tall towers, creating a bold skyline with strong visual connections to the surrounding roads, park spaces, and train lines. The design incorporates a network of indoor and outdoor spaces to create a fluid pedestrian experience, incorporating memorable urban spaces within the city to support a 24/7, activated, mixed-use urban environment. The district features a multi-level pedestrian network that forges a symbiotic relationship between retail areas, park spaces, and streetscapes, seamlessly merging interior and exterior programs together. The design creates a vibrant destination that actively engages with its context, creating strong visual, pedestrian, and infrastructure connections with the surrounding site, district, and city. Rather than creating a single iconic building, the design fashions a memorable and iconic district.

Photo credit: Ennead Architects.