International design practice Aedas co-designed the master plan with MVRDV for a new business district in Shanghai near the fourth busiest airport in China. Aedas is responsible for the retail mall design while the office towers were designed by MVRDV.
The master plan of the 4.5-hactare site comprises both office and retail elements, building around a sunken plaza sheltered from vehicle traffic. Wide stairs will be added to double as seating areas. The central plaza will be surrounded by office buildings and the neighborhood’s pedestrian route will meander through the development, leading to a shopping centre designed by Aedas.
The 47,000-square-meter retail space, expected to be completed by mid 2014, will be located partly on the ground floor and partly along the sunken plazas, aiming to promote interaction with the outdoor civic and cultural space. The design focuses on bringing in natural lighting and maximising visibility of the interior. Two glass cubes will mark its entrances and be part of the pedestrian route; while two sunken gardens will provide a green setting for al fresco dining.
Construction commenced recently and the entire project is scheduled to be completed in 2015.
