At the end of April 2026, West Bund Central Phase II, at the northern reach of Shanghai's Xuhui Waterfront cultural corridor, officially opened, with “THE SEED”, the world’s first double-curved twisted glulam dome, as the spiritual landmark of the neighborhood — opening its doors to the public. THE SEED sits at the geometric center of the terraced landscape of West Bund Central Phase II, and it forms a brand-new landscape anchor in Xuhui Waterfront's urban regeneration. The main structure features a dome woven from 96 spiraling, intertwined glulam timber members, evoking a seed sprouting upward through the soil. Inside, a pure space measuring approximately 17 meters in diameter and 12 meters in height accommodates a wide variety of exhibitions and public activities.
“THE SEED” did not drop out of nowhere. The neighborhood's overarching landscape pays homage to Xu Guangqi, the Ming Dynasty master of agriculture, through cascading terraced forms—weaving the concept of “farming” into the DNA of this commercial land. As the landscape stepped down tier by tier, a seed naturally rested at its center; this was the site's given condition and the starting point of the design. In early sketches, we envisioned the building as a seed growing into a tree. Throughout project refinement, the growth metaphor and tectonic layers were fully preserved, while material choices were adapted as engineering progressed.
The structural statistics are nothing short of remarkable: 48 main beams, none of them straight; 665 secondary beams, each with a unique twist; 47 steel base plates; 617 steel cross-bars; and over 10,000 fasteners—all brought together with precision to create the world’s first bi-directionally curved and twisted timber structure. Material selection balances carbon footprint with tactile experience: carbon-storing glulam significantly lowers embodied carbon, while thermal chimney natural ventilation—created by the lowest open grid and the top skylight—reduces reliance on mechanical HVAC systems. The natural grain and texture of the wood further endow this small-scale public building with a vitality fitting for a “seed.” The exterior cladding is made from 97% translucent acrylic—a low-carbon, recyclable material, reducing the need for artificial lighting while maximizing natural illumination.
Stepping inside THE SEED, light is the first thing that moves you. The circular skylight at the apex of the dome resembles the pistil of a flower; sunlight filters through the crisscrossing members, casting slowly shifting rhombic light spots on the floor. The grid shell members interweave radially and spirally, mimicking the phyllotaxis of a sunflower head—repetitive, gradual, self-organizing—revealing the rational beauty of natural life. The grid shell is load-bearing without extra vertical columns, while floor-to-ceiling high-transmittance acrylic cladding brings both the terraces and river views indoors. At night, interior lighting diffuses outward through the timber grates, turning the dome into a warm lantern resting gently on the terraced field.
The transformation of Xuhui Waterfront is itself a narrative about “growth”—spanning over a decade, this land completed a metamorphosis from an industrial coastline to a cultural corridor, shifting from production to daily life, from enclosed to accessible. THE SEED sits right at the nexus of this narrative: as a “seed,” it symbolizes the process of industrial land nurturing brand-new cultural vitality; as a building, it serves the community functions of West Bund Central internally while acting as an open, welcoming urban container for all citizens externally. The skylight gently arches like a bud pushing through the seed coat, offering a glimpse into the thriving vitality of Xuhui Waterfront yet to come.
