PARK-TOPPED COMMUNITY CENTRE

MVRDV, in collaboration with ISA Architecture, has revealed the design of the Zhangjiang Future Park, a park and community centre for the workers and residents of Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park in Pudong, Shanghai, China. Fully integrated into a rolling park landscape, the design features four new precincts that are currently lacking in the vibrant neighbourhood: a library, an art centre, a performance centre and a sports centre.

Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park was established in 1992 as a complex for companies operating within the fields of tech and innovation. 20 years later and the neighbourhood has become the centre of both business and life, with more than 4000 companies employing 100,000 local workers. The plans, however, lacked public facilities for gathering and recreation, which MVRDV’s Future Park is setting out to correct.

Located on an island at the crossroads of two waterways and expansive green spaces, the masterplan aims to create a new destination that brings nature, culture and entertainment into one comprehensive landscape.

The project is envisioned as a combination of a relaxing, park-like atmosphere and the cultural excitement of a city centre. The two conditions are separated through vertical layering, with park lawns above and urban plazas beneath. Buildings nestled into the landscape act as the knuckle between the two settings, providing the space for cultural and recreational activities while housing additional park space on their roofs. Paths on both levels allow for ease of circulation between program elements.

“The building volumes gently blend into the landscape and provide the park with activities,” explain MVRDV. “Multiple access points converge towards the main central square, providing each a different perception of the site. The design proposal forms an intriguing silhouette of an instantly recognisable collection of buildings that emerge from the park; a crack in the landscape that produces urban life. People are able to walk not just around the buildings, but even on top of them, therefore experiencing radically different perspectives of the site.”

The 10,000-square metre library will offer a variety of social and reading spaces arranged around a central atrium, envisioned as an extension of the central plaza. Across the plaza, the art centre will offer 5000 square metres of natural light-flooded exhibition space.

Next door, the 10,000-square metre performance centre will house two theatres: a larger 700-seat auditorium for plays and concerts, and a 300-seat theatre for smaller events. Other areas will include spaces for music, lecture halls, dining facilities and lounges.

The final main element is the sports centre, which will offer 10,000 square metres of sports facilities including an Olympic-sized swimming pool and large glass-walled sports hall. Courts and fields will continue out into the park and onto the rooftop.

The project is slated for completion in early 2019.

Images courtesy of MVRDV