EXH Design was hired to redesign the façades of high-rises in one of the most active urban areas in Shanghai. With the plans of the buildings already halfway through government approval, EXH was allowed little leeway in trying to change the existing plans. Instead, EXH turned their attention to “sculpting” the building’s surface. Taking a geometrical approach, the new façade aims to create a dynamic effect that will become a strong architectural expression for the surrounding areas.
More about the facades after the break.
“We retained the separate identities of the residential and office spaces and, instead, adjusted the language to create a cluster of five unified yet differentiated towers,” explained the architects.
Inspired by an endless column sculpture, “a continuous growing impression created by cutting the existing volumes on the corners,” the façade touches very little of the “existing” structure, and yet creates a tremendously powerful exterior and interior space. Natural ventilation is achieved through the use of slits cut into the south façade which are covered with metal plates.
Architects: EXH design
Client: Shanghai Guangwan real estate
Location: Shanghai
Project Team: Erich Diserens, Xi Zhang, Kenan Liu