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Architects: TJAD Original Design Studio
- Area: 959 m²
- Year: 2021
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Photographs:Jie Fan
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Lead Architects: Ming Zhang, Zi Zhang
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Structure Design: TJAD Dujing Architectural Design Institute, Rui Wang, Haxun Sun
Background. The Flower Station is the primary pavilion of the exhibition Flowering Puhuitang for the 2021 Shanghai Urban Space Art Season, located in Xuhui District, Shanghai. The site is adjacent to Qinzhou Road and East Tianlin Road, near the Puhuitang, an important waterway in Xuhui District, and was formerly a flower market that had to be reformed into a parkland during urban regeneration. The Flower Station is a forerunner in the comprehensive regeneration of the site, introducing the notion of “green, art, and co-building” into the traditional neighborhood. Under the premise of a limited budget, limited land area, and limited construction period, the design adopted a strategy of integrating architecture, structure, space, material, and structure and was successfully constructed in 109 days with the collaboration of all departments.
Architecture and Structure. Considering the varied demands throughout the art season as well as a long-term operation, we investigated the prototype of the greenhouse, extracted the economically and structurally effective structural aspects of the conventional greenhouse, and designed a structural system of Core Volume + Space Truss. The long-span space endows the community with a bright and open spatial atmosphere, exhibiting an outward and inviting architectural form.
The support system employs the lattice columns which minimizes the volume while enriching the visual hierarchy and integrates with the space truss to form delicate architectural details. The weaving steel structural framework compliments the bright and open space and stands out as a highlight element of the space, which shortens the construction period and saves the budget for interior decoration.
The indoor and outdoor spaces are integrated, and movable folding doors are outfitted at crucial places on the ground floor. The originally bounded indoor space may now envelope into the open environment, allowing people to engage with the space organically rather than being constrained to the set boundaries of the structure.
The spatial roaming path resolves the differences between the indoor and outdoor, as well as between floors, and generates platforms at varying elevations with staircases, allowing people to freely wander through the indoor and outdoor environments. People may walk freely from the ground level to the roof terrace, generating a variety of circulations for exhibitions.
Materials and Details. To reinforce the sensation of lightness and modernism, the construction materials are mostly steel framework, aluminum plate, and glass, and the colors are selected to be consistent low-saturation natural green to offer a holistic spatial experience in the space. In terms of its details, the structural system is integrated with the lighting and shading systems to provide a hospitable environment for diverse activities. It may also be tailored to the media demand of art events throughout the art season, remaining adaptable to the needs of long-term users.
Expectations. The Flower Station may bring a variety of activities into the community, and the welcoming and intriguing space draws people in to experience events and spirits, as well as randomness and poetry. The architectural form encourages users to interact with it, enhancing the sense of community identification and belonging. The art season has endowed the flower house station an episodic tone, and the functions of the salon, exhibition, and relaxation during the art season will be replaced in the future by new demands such as raising flowers, appreciating flowers, buying flowers, gathering and drinking tea. On this premise, the design offers an opportunity for innovation and necessitates the participation and collaborative efforts of the community's inhabitants and operators. The Flower Station will become a new meeting place for culture, art, and civic life on the riverside of Flowering.
