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Renovation of Westbund Dream Center
西岸梦中心1栋3栋改造，上海
The West Bund Dream Center, is a new cultural commercial destination along Shanghai Huangpu River, built upon the former site of Shanghai Cement Factory. Undergone a decade of pending, the project finally becomes a dynamic district with river breezes and gathering crowds, combining a sense of rawness with refined life style. Among the district, BLDG1 and BLDG3 along Longteng Avenue are designed by HCCH.
Besides the well-worn themes such as new into old, adaptive reuse and hybrid program, the most intriguing topic we find in this project is how can we react and negotiate within an urban context that constantly mutating and drastically fragmented. We seek to break free from sterile modernist aesthetics by allowing a certain degree of chaos and spontaneity in our design. The project presents a fluid condition that hovers between Laissez-faire and cautious control.
Situated at the threshold of the district, BLDG1 and BLDG3 boast a prolonged frontage along Longteng Avenue. The north end frames the Event Plaza together with the Dome Art Center and the West Bund Grand Theater (designed by SHL), while the east end forms a vibrant pedestrian street in dialogue with the colorful stacking boxes (designed by Atelier Deshaus).
Renovated from unfinished black box theaters, two buildings now become a mixed-use nightlife threshold of the Dream Center, covering bar, retail, live house and office. The previous heavy massing and black boxes are wrapped by new envelope with permeability and transparency.
Aiming to achieve big effect with small intervention, the renovation focuses on optimizing circulation and activating interface while leaving the main structure retained. Permeability is enhanced by opening up the previous solid perimeter, while connectivity is improved by adding platforms and stairs cross multiple levels. By using only aluminium in various texture and tone, the façade achieves a balance between cost efficiency and visual richness.
Pairs in gold and silver, BLDG1&3 complement and contrast each other by playing with transparency and saturation. Curving motif recurs across scales from outline to detail, to breaking down the monolithic massing and correspond to its context and neighbor.
Architect: HCCH Studio (Schematic Design, Design Development, Construction Administration)
Design team: Hao Chen, Chenchen Hu, Xi Cai, Tian Zhang, Yifan Zhu, Yida Hou, Wenxi Li
Collaborative Design: Shanghai Institute of Architectural Design and Research Co., Ltd. (Architectural Construction Drawings)
Façade Consultant: AECOM
Location: 2266 Longteng Avenue, Xuhui District, Shanghai
Gross floor area: 10343 sqm (BLDG1); 10580 sqm (BLDG3)
Design Period: 2022.06 – 2023.05
Completion Date: 2024.08
Photography: Guowei Liu, Fangfang Tian, Qingyan Zhu
西岸梦中心1栋3栋改造，上海
The West Bund Dream Center, is a new cultural commercial destination along Shanghai Huangpu River, built upon the former site of Shanghai Cement Factory. Undergone a decade of pending, the project finally becomes a dynamic district with river breezes and gathering crowds, combining a sense of rawness with refined life style. Among the district, BLDG1 and BLDG3 along Longteng Avenue are designed by HCCH.
Besides the well-worn themes such as new into old, adaptive reuse and hybrid program, the most intriguing topic we find in this project is how can we react and negotiate within an urban context that constantly mutating and drastically fragmented. We seek to break free from sterile modernist aesthetics by allowing a certain degree of chaos and spontaneity in our design. The project presents a fluid condition that hovers between Laissez-faire and cautious control.
Situated at the threshold of the district, BLDG1 and BLDG3 boast a prolonged frontage along Longteng Avenue. The north end frames the Event Plaza together with the Dome Art Center and the West Bund Grand Theater (designed by SHL), while the east end forms a vibrant pedestrian street in dialogue with the colorful stacking boxes (designed by Atelier Deshaus).
Renovated from unfinished black box theaters, two buildings now become a mixed-use nightlife threshold of the Dream Center, covering bar, retail, live house and office. The previous heavy massing and black boxes are wrapped by new envelope with permeability and transparency.
Aiming to achieve big effect with small intervention, the renovation focuses on optimizing circulation and activating interface while leaving the main structure retained. Permeability is enhanced by opening up the previous solid perimeter, while connectivity is improved by adding platforms and stairs cross multiple levels. By using only aluminium in various texture and tone, the façade achieves a balance between cost efficiency and visual richness.
Pairs in gold and silver, BLDG1&3 complement and contrast each other by playing with transparency and saturation. Curving motif recurs across scales from outline to detail, to breaking down the monolithic massing and correspond to its context and neighbor.
Architect: HCCH Studio (Schematic Design, Design Development, Construction Administration)
Design team: Hao Chen, Chenchen Hu, Xi Cai, Tian Zhang, Yifan Zhu, Yida Hou, Wenxi Li
Collaborative Design: Shanghai Institute of Architectural Design and Research Co., Ltd. (Architectural Construction Drawings)
Façade Consultant: AECOM
Location: 2266 Longteng Avenue, Xuhui District, Shanghai
Gross floor area: 10343 sqm (BLDG1); 10580 sqm (BLDG3)
Design Period: 2022.06 – 2023.05
Completion Date: 2024.08
Photography: Guowei Liu, Fangfang Tian, Qingyan Zhu
before/after renovation