Highly connected work environments sponsor interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation in this multi-use complex in the Lingang New District of Shanghai. "A combination of glass facets and striated stone façades wraps the continuous podium, injecting a sense of permanence and solidity. Heroic cantilevers create gateway moments into the project while announcing the City with a dynamic gesture that projects a forward-looking identity for the next global innovation center." -Thomas Wong, Design Partner The Lingang Science and Technology City is the first phase and model development of an area poised to become the “Silicon Valley” of China.
A continuous multi-story podium connects three office towers and consolidates shared programs, cultivating collaboration and the exchange of ideas. Planned principally for offices and incubator businesses, the design offers flexibility through an array of floor plate sizes. Both the tower and podium are designed with large and small atria, interconnecting stairs, and regular column grids to allow for maximum flexibility and collaboration. Inspired by the structure of silicon crystals, the design of the exterior envelope is formed by a series of large-scale facets that reflect the inherent beauty of the park-like seaside site.
The minimalist glass facets are detailed to offer the best views from the interior and reflect the changing light conditions of the sky throughout the day. Two urban courtyards act as arrival and gathering spaces, reinforcing the district’s function as an innovation hub. Combined with sunken gardens, each of the two courtyards positions the project as a civic connector and a modern space for community building.