SVW Technical Center / HPP Architects

SVW Technical Center / HPP Architects - Exterior PhotographySVW Technical Center / HPP Architects - Exterior PhotographySVW Technical Center / HPP Architects - Interior Photography, Glass, FacadeSVW Technical Center / HPP Architects - Exterior PhotographySVW Technical Center / HPP Architects - More Images+ 24

Shanghai, China
  • Partners In Charge: Jens Kump, Wei Yu
  • Associate Partner: Yuanzhe Gan
  • Project Leaders: Tao Tao (ARCH), Amanda Xu (ID), Yi Kang(LA)
  • Architecture Team (Competition):: Shouheng Wu, Lin Wang, Jingping Wang
  • Architecture Team (Detailed Design): Zhixun Zhou, Lin Wang, Weizhen Bao, Yaling Li, Yanhua Yin, Yilin Qiu, Julian Caspar Puchmüller, John Daniel Winstead V
  • Interior Team: Ling Li, Ruohong Xie, Mengyuan Li
  • Landscape Team: Yaping Xu, Heng Cao, Jingjing Ni
  • Client: SAIC Volkswagen
  • Local Design Institute: Institute of Shanghai Architectural Design & Research Co. Ltd.
  • City: Shanghai
  • Country: China
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SVW Technical Center / HPP Architects - Exterior Photography
Built with the Design Concept of “Enterprise Gate” . Image © Yong Zhang

Text description provided by the architects. Shanghai SVW Technical Center designed by HPP is officially open in August, pioneering the development of Anting International Automobile City in Jiading New Town into a global automobile manufacturing area. In 2018, HPP won the competition to design SVW Technical Center, one of the most significant projects in Anting International Automobile City. To match the image of SVW as one of the leading automobile companies in China, HPP uses the design concept of “Enterprise Gate” for SVW Technical Center. The architecture is comprised of two towers, connecting each other at the top and sitting on the south and north sides respectively. One side of each tower is rotated to maximize the view, embodying a sense of uniqueness to the shape of this office building.

SVW Technical Center / HPP Architects - Exterior Photography
Aerial View of SVW Technical Center. Image © Yong Zhang

The 12-floor office building rises to 60 meters with a total construction area of 41,900 square meters. The grand stairs on the east and west sides directly lead to the main entrance on the 2nd floor. The building integrates office, leisure, canteen, creative center, and other functions, where the canteen on the 1st floor has an independent entrance and the office area is set from 2nd floor to 11th floor. The top floor is VR Automobile Exhibition Room and Creative Center, overlooking the entire campus.

SVW Technical Center / HPP Architects - Exterior Photography
SVW Technical Center at Dusk. Image © Yong Zhang
SVW Technical Center / HPP Architects - Exterior Photography
Architecture Integrated into the Surroundings. Image © Yong Zhang

The sides facing factories and rivers are more open, echoing landscapes nearby. The cable-net glass facade reveals a clear reflection on the water surface; the still architecture integrates into the surroundings with a gentle and delicate look.

SVW Technical Center / HPP Architects - Exterior Photography
Cable-Net Glass Facades. Image © Yong Zhang

In the initial project plan, the space between the two towers is outdoor space, linked by four sky bridges, set on the 4th, 6th, 8th and 10th floor. It ensures smooth communications among different departments. To cater to the client’s request for changing the outdoor space between the two towers into an enclosed space, two huge cable-net glass facades are added, forming a 9-floor high-rise atrium. After entering the building, the high-rise atrium brings a refreshing space experience to the visitors with a sense of formalness.

SVW Technical Center / HPP Architects - Exterior Photography
Grand Stairs with Wooden Benches. Image © Yong Zhang
SVW Technical Center / HPP Architects - Exterior Photography, Facade
Cable-Net Glass Facades. Image © Yong Zhang

The cable-net glass facade of the high-rise atrium space is supported by an orthogonal system, which consists of main horizontal cables and supplementary vertical cables. Super white double laminated armored glass with a size of 1.500 x 1.125M is embedded into the system, shielding the building from rainwater and sunlight. Being environmentally friendly and economically efficient, it can adjust the indoor temperature and reduce energy consumption. Moreover, the cable-net glass facade system is also lighter and more graceful than steel-supported glass facades. A higher technical standard is also required to ensure the safety level of the architecture.

SVW Technical Center / HPP Architects - Exterior Photography
Sky Bridges. Image © Yong Zhang
SVW Technical Center / HPP Architects - Exterior Photography, Facade
9-Floor High-Rise Atrium. Image © Yong Zhang

HPP also meticulously designs the metal drainage system on the glass facade, which differs from the decentralized traditional system by draining off the water outwards. Instead, rainwater is collected by an oblique plane inwards and drained to the ground through downpipes on both sides of windowsills. It minimizes the rainwater stains on the glass and ensures the brilliancy and cleanliness of the facades.

SVW Technical Center / HPP Architects - Interior Photography, Glass, Facade
Reception at the Entrance. Image © Yong Zhang

Designed from users’ perspectives, the internal spaces have free spatial compositions, multi-function combinations, and natural colorations. The office building is divided into Concentration Area and Research Area. Based on the characteristics of different areas, a tea room and a creative space are added to respective spaces, enhancing the domestic comforts of the office environment. Moreover, the color system used in the office area is light grey and brown with a sense of calmness. In the flexible working area, however, bright colors such as orange, green, and blue are used to enrich the space, providing a lively spatial experience.

SVW Technical Center / HPP Architects - Interior Photography, Chair
Flexible Office Spaces. Image © Yong Zhang

HPP creates “Enterprise Gate” for SVW, which not only embodies the leading position of SVW in the Chinese automobile market but also promotes the development of Anting International Automobile City and the industrial upgrading of SVW automobile chains in the future.

SVW Technical Center / HPP Architects - Exterior Photography, Facade
Ordered and Scupturesque Facades. Image © Yong Zhang

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Project location

Address:Luopu Road, Anting Town, Shanghai, China

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Location to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.
About this office
Cite: "SVW Technical Center / HPP Architects" 15 Oct 2021. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/970081/svw-technical-center-hpp-architects> ISSN 0719-8884

Architecture Integrated into the Surroundings. Image © Yong Zhang

上海上汽大众技术中心 / HPP建筑事务所

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