Excerpt: The renovation of Shanghai Westbund headquarters building by HCCH Studio transforms the hierarchical image of the state-owned office into a friendly environment that fosters sharing and communication. The building is envisioned as a horizontal glass house with terraces stretching out towards the landscape. It features a massing composed of stacking boxes, showcasing its view of the Huangpu River and lush vegetation.
Project Description
[Text as submitted by architect] Westbund Development Group Headquarter is located on the West Bund of Shanghai, adjacent to Westbund Art Center, looking at Huangpu river on its east. The site is packed with lush trees, such as pomelo and camphor. Heavy wind, rustling trees and dim light make up the impression of the site.
The existing building was a two-story steel structure built in 2008. The floor area was 2000 sqm and the grid’s dimensions were 6x6m. The major entrance was on the west side. The facade was covered by brown aluminum louvers. Dense landscape, vague circulation and isolated atrium render the interior illegible.
Past two decades witnessed the dramatic mutation of the building environment and waterfront space on Westbund. The existing condition fails to meet the needs of today’s headquarter office. The renovation aims to change the severe and hierarchical image of the state-owned office into a friendly environment encouraging sharing and communication.
Considering the view to Huangpu river and lush vegetation, the building is imagined as a glass house emphasizing its horizontal quality. Terraces stretch out from existing structure towards landscape in different directions, thus becoming a massing composed of stacking boxes.
This gesture mediates various factors on the site. First, terraces provide easy access to outdoor space responding to its surroundings. Moreover, the manipulation of volume is an efficient way to enhance form and space while concealing flaws in details. Finally, the floor area is less than 3000 sqm to avoid the sprinkle system, which is quite limited. Terrace helps to extend the floor from interior to exterior while not adding to area.
Based on the idea of a terrace, evacuation circulations are arranged on the exterior to keep the interior intact and free. The peripheral terrace adds to the flexibility of circulation in this 60 m long plan. The twisting and winding stairs enhance formal expression and promenade experience.
The new atrium split the plan into two zones, conference area on the south and open plan office on the north. Sunlight sheds into the atrium through the glass on the west, which resembles a high window. Pantry and leisure areas are scattered around the atrium. The interval walls are mostly glass. Daylight and river view penetrate through the small rooms into the open space.
The enclosures of the building are mostly floor to ceiling glass. Considering the limited budget, the architects didn’t pursue the slender effect of the window frame, but tried to conceal these flaws into shadow and other elements. For instance, two canopies on the west emphasize metal material and slender edge, to contrast the cubic massing. They cast shadows and block harsh light from the west.
The railings on the terrace have two types. The west facade and stairs are in corrugated perforated aluminum. The south and north are 950mm solid wall and 250mm steel rail. The shift of solid and void emphasizes the stacking massing on its corner. They also give a homogeneous veil overlapping the glass facade. The east facade is partially covered by a perforated panel to create rhythm responding to the trees on its east.
The project tries to achieve a fluid atmosphere and transparent quality responding to landscape. The building turns to be a few horizontal lines extending among trees, merging into shadow and wind.
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