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Architects: Benoy
- Area: 153000 m²
- Year: 2019
- Photographs: Terrence Zhang
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Manufacturers: Nippon Paint, Signify, Asia Alum Group, CSG HOLDING, Chiefair
Text description provided by the architects. Leading the design of the commercial district of the site, Benoy is proud to reveal the latest Stage of development of Gala Avenue Westside in Shanghai. Located in Lujiazui Harbour City, China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) and CITIC Group are redeveloping the site as a landmark urban complex. When the full site opens later this year it will integrate financial services, commercial space, an arts centre, an upscale residential development and several public amenities.
Boasting a total floor area of over 150,000 square metres, Gala Avenue Westside consists of a near 100-metre-tall office tower and 12 interlocking two to three storey commercial villas. Overlooking the Huangpu River and the Puxi area, the design was created by Benoy as a way to set the development apart from existing centres in the area. The design is based on the surrounding environment and aims to create an urban complex that encourages people to spend more time exploring its different zones and green spaces. Plots 2 – 3 are located close to the Yincheng and Jimo road junction. This is a particularly unique location as the plots are the last two commercial sites in the business district.
Qin Pang, Director and Head of Benoy Shanghai studio was chief architect on the project and commented; “This project has been particularly exciting for Benoy. Our team was inspired by the areas surroundings, particularly the nearby river bank. The resulting movement of the site encourages people to weave through this unique destination that promotes interaction and exploration.”
Benoy’s services included; Master Planning, Architectural Design and Interior Design. The architectural design takes into account the differing functions of the buildings, establishing a sense of identity for each space. In creating this identity, the team focused on diversity as a key pillar in their design process. This is evident in the injection of dynamic dimensions, heights and depth which ultimately provides visitors with a unique experience based journey.
Gala Avenue stands out from the surrounding high-rise developments, carving out a space for itself in Shanghai’s ever changing skyline. The Harbour City is a forest of skyscrapers, of which the maximum height is set at 150 metres. Instead of designing to their maximum height, Benoy reduced it with the tower reaching just 91.5 metres tall. The team was dedicated to designing a low-rise complex to offer something different to the neighbouring buildings.
With the goal of ensuring high quality architectural design, the Benoy Shanghai studio worked closely with the client from the beginning of the master planning stage. Traditional elements are used in the exterior and interior design whilst also being paired with modern materials, offering visitors a glimpse into the past whilst they look ahead to the future.
A significant area of construction of Gala Avenue Westside was completed in late 2018. Tenants have moved into the office tower and commercial villas and have started interior decoration. Due to open in spring of 2019, the wider development will be the newest commercial and entertainment destination for the city.
