[Future block]
▲（renderings along the street）
In her book titled The Death and Life of Great American Cities, Jane Jacobs pointed out that urban planning policy was underlining the zoning regulation while playing down mixtures of high-density and small-scale streets and blocks and open space. This decreased diversity of cities. She identified four preconditions to make cities lively and vibrant places to live:
(1) mixed land uses; (2) small-scale blocks and streets; (3) retaining old buildings mixed in with new; and (4) high densities of population and activities.
▲(Previous look of streets and blocks)
This project focuses on Shanghai old streets and blocks with above-mentioned four preconditions. They are no different from the streets of second- and third-tier cities at first sight, neither as traditional as other old streets and lanes with local characteristics, nor as vigorous and modern as the Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street. Therefore, how to inject vitality into these old streets and blocks while meeting the four preconditions at the same time is at the core of design.
▲(View of streets and blocks)
This modern building starkly contrasts with its surroundings. All-white walls and clean lines lay a good foundation for its stylish appearance.
Renovation adheres to the design philosophy of simplicity. Through using the least elements, future design technique and exquisite detail have turned the small-scale street to a beautiful yet practical office landscape.
▲(Night view of the street)
▲(Previous look of the street)
▲(Rendering of the street)
▲(Previous look of entrance)
/Gravity Black Hole
When you stroll along a red-walled street or traverse a park full of green trees, the clean walls and modern lights will immediately seize your eyeballslike a black hole with massive gravity and send you to the future world.
The street has lost its soul and character due to disorganized layout and lack of clear-cut boundary between business zone and living zone. The nature of land for both commercial and residential purposes fails to inject vitality into this area.
Viewing from the facade, future materials, exquisite door plates and landmark entrance stand out from disorganized surroundings, separating office zone from residential areas. How land is used is highlighted and value of the neighborhood is improved.
▲(Previous look of the lane)
/时光隧道
The narrow and dark road is getting more congested as it is used byboth pedestrians and vehicles. Therefore, “expansion of visual space” is the primary principle while designing. A long canopy along the road is removed and a glass one is installed at the entrance so as to expand space vertically. A spiral lights line is installed to replace traditional lighting to widen the alley visually and increase its spatial length. Besides, lights are installed under the perforated steel sheets to form a light strip. All these help make the once congested road become a nice place for relaxation. These sequential lights guide pedestrians and it is like walking through a time tunnel.
In addition to landscape renovation, management and control measures are taken to prevent vehicles from entering the office zone, thus providing office workers with relatively quiet and independent working environment in a modern bustling city.
▲(Previous look of walls)
▲(Bird’s -eye view of office zone)
Design and thinking should go beyond traditional insight to promote value of the project.
A piece of good work should be able to adapt to the needs of the times and could transcend time and space to last long, be it five, ten, thirty or even a hundred years from now. This is what we have been pursuing, and this is what our hearts desire.