In a city known for its fast pace and skyscrapers, the LuOne Mixed-Use Complex offers a refreshing touch of green in Shanghai’s Luwan district. Designed by Safdie Architects, this new development is more than just buildings; it’s a blend of nature and urban life.
The mixed-use complex in Downtown Shanghai includes a sprawling eight-level shopping mall and a tall 35-story office tower. Both the 140,000-sm (1.5 million-SF) retail galleria and the 45,000-sm (484,000-sf) office tower are organized around atrium gardens intended to offer visitors and workers an urban oasis in the heart of the city. These gardens provide a peaceful escape for everyone who visits or works there.
One of the most visually striking features of this development is the “corner garden” in the office building. This is a green vertical garden that climbs up the side of 160 meters of a wall made of glass. This looks like a vertical garden and gives the building a natural feel to it. These vertical gardens are seven in total, each taking up four floors, making the building look like it has a green roof.
In the shopping zone, the three areas are arranged in a triangular pattern with a garden in the middle. Above this garden is a large dome skylight, which allows a lot of natural light into the interior. This skylight is supported on a stem originating from the third level of the structure and even floods the lower levels of this building with light, thus the atmosphere becomes warm and welcoming.
To increase the appeal of the entrance, a two-storied bronze colonnade has been created, which makes the place look really grand. The shops at the ground level are street fronting making it more approachable and interactive to the pedestrian. On the upper level of the building there is an interesting kinetic art made by Ned Kahn with many small metal plates that can dance with wind. It looks beautiful and very dynamic. While speaking about the consumer’s and lifestyle’s perception, Christopher Mulvey, a senior partner at Safdie Architects, commented: “LuOne brings nature and a sense of community to the busy heart of Shanghai. It’s a place where people can take a break and enjoy some peace”.
Some of the previous collaborations of Safdie Architects and CapitaLand are the Raffles City in Chongqing or the Jewel Changi International Airport in Singapore, and the LuOne Mixed-Use Complex is their fourth project together. This new complex is another fine example of their commitment to designing structures that are not only beautiful but also practical and infused with natural elements.
Project Info
Client: CapitaMalls Asia
Design architect: Safdie Architects
Executive architect: SIADR (Shanghai Institute of Architectural Design & Research Co., Ltd.)
Structural engineer, MEP engineer, and LEED environmental engineer: Arup
Landscape architect: Coen + Partners, USA
Landscape Design Institute: Ager Group, Beijing
Interior designer: Shanghai Jieyu Architecture Design Co., Ltd. (office interiors), AGC Design Ltd. (retail galleria)
Lighting consultant: Brandston Partnership
Façade engineer: Schmidlin
General contractor: China Construction First Bureau Company Limited
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