Xujiahui Masterplan: City Center and Surrounding Areas
Shanghai, China
2004
Xujiahui is at a point halfway between an old city and a new city. It is made up of a patchwork of separate and distinct areas, such as a cluster of historical buildings, the Shanghai Sports City, the Design and Decoration Center, the Universities, the Medical Centers, and the Shopping around Xujiahui Square. This patchwork is further characterized by the lack of balance between the rapid growth and the quality of urban spaces. The future Xujiahui should hellp establish a new balance that would maintain certain existing elements and variety offered by the patchwork, while new elements would be created and overlapped to produce a new dynamic development.
While there is great potential, we also recognize that some problems have developed as a by-product of the great speed at which Xujiahui has developed. With the high densities produced by the development of the district in the last 10 years and the increased use of cars, traffic has become a serious problem for the fluid-functioning of the district. Traffic congestion, overlap of conflicting traffic functions, and parking problems are some symptoms. However, we consider that one of the major problems in Xujiahui is not traffic but the general lack in both the quantity and quality of pedestrian and public spaces.
Our project envisions Xujiahui as a green cultural district where museums, new public spaces, entertainment centers, cultural institutions, and hotels are organized as a network. Our Vision, based on some of the wonderful qualities of the district and on the city’s tradition and past, guides our plan as the road that should lead to its future. The various types of green will not only beautify the city and create pedestrian friendly spaces, they will also serve to bring sustainability to the city. Our project transforms the district into an International Urban Center, where the present centralized retail activities will be balanced and enriched by a cultural network of institutions and places as well as by a new Business Center.
While there is great potential, we also recognize that some problems have developed as a by-product of the great speed at which Xujiahui has developed. With the high densities produced by the development of the district in the last 10 years and the increased use of cars, traffic has become a serious problem for the fluid-functioning of the district. Traffic congestion, overlap of conflicting traffic functions, and parking problems are some symptoms. However, we consider that one of the major problems in Xujiahui is not traffic but the general lack in both the quantity and quality of pedestrian and public spaces.
Our project envisions Xujiahui as a green cultural district where museums, new public spaces, entertainment centers, cultural institutions, and hotels are organized as a network. Our Vision, based on some of the wonderful qualities of the district and on the city’s tradition and past, guides our plan as the road that should lead to its future. The various types of green will not only beautify the city and create pedestrian friendly spaces, they will also serve to bring sustainability to the city. Our project transforms the district into an International Urban Center, where the present centralized retail activities will be balanced and enriched by a cultural network of institutions and places as well as by a new Business Center.