Leading architecture and design firm Benoy has revealed the design for a future mixed-use scheme set within the major Lujiazui Harbour City development. Benoy has been appointed as the Masterplanner, Architect and Interior Designer of the Gala Avenue Westside scheme, due to complete in 2018.
One of the most significant industrial properties in the region, the Lujiazui Harbour City site was previously a shipyard operated by the Shanghai Ship Company since the 1800s. Being developed by CITIC Limited, China State Shipbuilding Corporation, the Lujiazui Harbour City will see 250,000 square metres of riverside land transformed into an iconic future destination for the city. Benoy’s Gala Avenue Westside represents one of the important components of the overall development, bringing a unique commercial proposition to the scheme.
Observing that the prominent project will shape the future of Shanghai’s Lujiazui district, Director and Head of Benoy’s Shanghai Studio Qin Pang said they embraced the history of the site and built upon it while conceiving their design, which celebrates the themes of ‘New and Old’, ‘East and West’ and ‘Traditional and Modern’.
Offering scenic views of the famous Huangpu River and the Pudong cityscape, Gala Avenue Westside’s mixed-use scheme comprises of a 100m office tower and 12 interconnected retail hubs spanning two to three storeys high, combining high-end shopping, entertainment, and public space alongside its commercial offering. A chain of squares will form an internal streetscape and link the buildings, both above ground and below, along with a network of green spaces, enabling visitors to easily navigate the whole development.
The design takes inspiration from the site’s past as a shipping yard, the design language creating a rich sense of experience combining historical elements, traditional details and modern materials. The 153,000-square-metre development has also been positioned for maximum retail exposure, with the tower situated to heighten the identity of the scheme along the main Yinchung and Jimo Roads.
Benoy plans to follow an elegant yet minimalist design form and material palette for the interior design with elements inspired by the traditional Shikumen-style found in Shanghainese structures together with modern design methods to create a distinct ambience for each of the buildings.
Gala Avenue Westside is the latest project in Benoy’s exciting Shanghai portfolio, which already includes Mango West Bund Plaza of the wider DreamCenter development along the Huangpu River, and Vanke Xuhui Center, a large-scale mixed-use development connected to the city’s South Railway Station.
Image: Gala Avenue Westside scheme
