Architects: Jacques Ferrier Architecture / Ferrier Marchetti Studio
Area: 60,000 m²
Year: 2015
Photography: Luc Boegly, Jonathan Leijonhufvud
Partners: Architectural Design & Research Institute of Tongji University (Group) Co., Ltd.
Landscape Architects: DLC
Façades Designer: VS-A
Structural and Fluids Technical Design: Architectural Design & Research Institute of Tongji University (Group) Co., Ltd.
Client: Shanghai YiDian Group
City: Shanghai
Country: China
Yidian Office Complex, designed by Jacques Ferrier Architecture in the Xuhui district of southwestern Shanghai, has transformed the area along the Shang Ao Dang canal since its completion in 2015. The project won a competition in 2011, commissioned by Shanghai Guang Dian Real Estate, and it incorporates flexible office spaces with unique architectural features, including vertical blades on the façades for sun protection and a blend of urban and natural elements in its design.
In February 2011, Jacques Ferrier Architecture won a competition organized by Shanghai Guang Dian Real Estate for creating an office complex and stores along the Shang Ao Dang canal in southwestern Shanghai’s Xuhui district. This area has grown significantly since the metro line’s construction. The project, completed in summer 2015, included architectural quality monitoring during construction and validating local office studies.
The buildings’ identity features an interplay of folds and cuts, offering various perspectives, views, light, and heights. This design provides functional flexibility and creates a distinct image. The buildings, primarily north/south facing, maximize light and provide canal views, with many offices having loggias overlooking the canal or courtyard.
The project developed an urban topography concept, creating a “built landscape” effect, merging architecture and nature. Located by a canal previously hidden from the public, the proposal replaced grey walls with a planted embankment, creating a public walking path. This tree-lined embankment reintroduces nature into the city.
The office foundation is treated as a landscape, featuring tree-covered reliefs and pathways accessible to local residents. This foundation creates clear divisions and gives the office space a unique identity. The canal-side façade houses various activities, linking offices with independent shops, creating vibrant public spaces.
The landscape-type design addresses environmental concerns, dedicating over a third of the site’s surface area to green spaces, excluding the garden-treated office foundation.
The façades feature vertical blades protecting the buildings from the Shanghai sun, combining pale gold aluminium and ceramic in green and blue shades. This dual material interplay creates a sense of movement, offering a constantly changing vision of the buildings. Depending on their location, observers see the complex as green, blue, or golden.
Project Gallery
Project Location
Address: 746 Zhaojiabang Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai 200032, China.
Location is for general reference and may represent a city or country, not necessarily a precise address.
