Shanghai’s Bund Finance Centre, Juxtaposes Old and New, Anchored by the Fosun Cultural Centre

Bund Finance Centre. Shanghai, China.

British architecture firms Heatherwick Studio and Foster + Partners teamed up to create the Bund Finance Centre (BFC) in the heart of Shanghai. The eight-building major new mixed-use development opened in 2017, and includes offices, a boutique hotel, luxury retail, restaurants, a public plaza and a cultural center. The architects were briefed to design an adaptable space to be “usable in multiple ways” and highly permeable for pedestrians. The site, situated between the Old Town and the city’s new financial district, required the architects to blend old and new China in their mission to revitalize the city’s waterfront. Their design is a point of connection between the low, historic facades of the wharf’s Bund District (embankment) to the new high rises and modern architecture of the city’s financial district. They accomplished this through scale, materials and purpose. The architecture was inspired by the urban context, in which two new 180-meter towers anchor the site’s southern border, while the opposite end is occupied by the historic, colonial buildings of The Bund, the endpoint to Shanghai’s most famous street. The buildings facing the waterfront are staggered in height and “relate in scale and rhythm to the grand nineteenth century landmarks along The Bund”. This transition is shown in the focus on smaller building components that vary in height, and relate to the lower-rise buildings and the broader Old Town neighborhood through rustic, hand-carved frames, which contrasts with the latest office façade technology. “Intricate detailing at the base pares back as they rise, giving a sense of lightness towards the top with bronze in-fill panels creating interest up close.” The centerpiece of the development is the jewel-like cultural center. The 4,000 square meter building houses the non-profit Fosun Foundation with space for exhibitions and performance art. The building’s unique design was inspired by traditional Chinese theaters, where actors performed for audiences inside as well as outside. Its curtain-like façade consists of 675 bronze/gold “tassels” which hang on rotating tracks in three layers, creating a semi-transparent screen in front of the windows and balconies. The “movable veil” resembles a traditional Chinese bridal headdress, with individual tassels ranging in length from 2 meters to 16 meters, and details inspired by Chinese weaving, ropes and knots. The three tracks move independently and overlap to produce the visual effect of different levels of opacity and varied apertures. The “kinetic building” is like a jewel in the center of the complex, with its bronze/gold tassels, an aesthetic achieved through a process called Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) on stainless steel. The architects noted that the project’s location in China allowed them to work with local craftsmen and experiment with bespoke design and materials. Gerard Evenden, Head of Studio and Senior Executive Partner at Foster + Partners commented, “The Bund Finance Centre creates a pivotal connection between the Old Town and the new financial district. Developing the massing strategy for the buildings was an interesting challenge, in terms of relating to the context of old and new architecture, reflecting the scale of the waterfront and the character of the historic quarters.” Thomas Heatherwick, Founder of Heatherwick Studio added, “The opportunity to make something new in this prominent location, that had formerly been the river gateway to Shanghai’s Old Town, was extraordinary. With a project that would create 420,000 square meters of space, we felt a great duty to look for fresh ways to connect with China’s amazing built heritage, and make a meaningful public place for thousands of people to work and come together.” Heatherwick continued, “Influenced by the materiality and scale of the existing historic buildings along The Bund, we have built a series of simple office, shopping and cultural buildings that combine high performance glazing systems with hand carved stone building frames. These structures in turn surround new public spaces and speak to the heritage of the historical Bund buildings.” Evenden added, “The cultural center is an optimum blend of craft and technology. It is inspired by traditional Chinese weaving, while incorporating the latest cutting-edge technology that helps withstand earthquakes, typhoons and severe weather. Its unique form provides a memorable and extraordinary experience for visitors, while the illuminated stage and the motion of the moving veil creates a unique backdrop to the theater of city life.”