Huangpu, Shanghai, China
Atelier Liu Yuyang Architects
Post By:Kitticoon Poopong
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| Photo © Courtesy of Atelier Liu Yuyang Architects |
The project is located in one of the earliest and most significant commercial strips of China’s
modern history:
Shanghai Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street.
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| Photo © Courtesy of Atelier Liu Yuyang Architects |
Nicknamed “Number One Street of China”, the street has a total length of merely one kilometer, with a history that spans over one century, and receives more than one million domestic and foreign visitors per year.
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| Photo © Courtesy of Atelier Liu Yuyang Architects |
Yet due to the lack of a coordinated
urban design, the visual impression of the street is a combination of disorder and messiness. As a result, the Huangpu District Government launched a series of renovation plans to upgrade the spaces and buildings along the street, of which the pedestrian kiosks are a part.
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| Photo © Courtesy of Atelier Liu Yuyang Architects |
A pedestrian kiosk can be seen as the smallest scaled architecture with a multiplicity of programs, all of which intimately connected to citizens and visitors alike. Some of the more publicly oriented programs include tourist information, souvenirs, lottery, telecom, mobile phone charger, bank
ATM, and
vending machine.
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| Photo © Courtesy of Atelier Liu Yuyang Architects |
There are also programs with more commercial objectives in mind, including the
Madame Tussauds Wax kiosk (with space just enough for one wax mannequin and one live staff, a miniature-exhibition hall on the street!), and the
Coca-cola kiosk.
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| Photo © Courtesy of Atelier Liu Yuyang Architects |
Embedded with the notion of hybrid programming, the design of these kiosks represents an approach towards “micro-urbanism” with the belief that architecture of Koolhaasian Bigness is not the only architecture capable of affecting cities.
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| Photo © Courtesy of Atelier Liu Yuyang Architects |
Through the carefully controlled formal theme and variations, the twelve kiosks—each situated 100-meter apart—as a whole creates a unique urban landscape. The composed visual order, in my view, brings out the beauty in the diversity of the street.
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| Photo © Courtesy of Atelier Liu Yuyang Architects |
Through collaboration with a local glass manufacturer, we developed a custom-made, art-deco-inspired glass panel. Framed by steel sections, the glass panel forms the basic language of the kiosks exterior wall and relates to the historic buildings in the area.
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| Photo © Courtesy of Atelier Liu Yuyang Architects |
However, the project goes beyond echoing history. We see these kiosks as urban furniture which would glow at night with the use of clean energy. The idea did not receive much support in the beginning.
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| Photo © Courtesy of Atelier Liu Yuyang Architects |
Nevertheless, through increasing popularity of environmental topics, greater awareness of government policies, our relentless persuasion, and a willing sponsor, the proposal becomes a feasible one. In the final design, the solar panel on the rooftop can generate 180 watts of electricity per hour for exterior LED as urban lighting, making these kiosks the new environmental prototype.
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| Photo © Courtesy of Atelier Liu Yuyang Architects |
Equipped with hybrid programming, these kiosks take on the notion of “micro-urbanism”. Through the carefully controlled formal theme and variations, the twelve kiosks as a whole compose a unique urban landscape.
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| Photo © Courtesy of Atelier Liu Yuyang Architects |
The art-deco inspired custom-made pattern glass panels echo the historic architecture of the neighborhood. With solar panels on the roof supplying 180 watts per hour of exterior LED lighting, the kiosks become new environmental prototypes.
Description from the Architects:
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| floor plans--drawing © Courtesy of Atelier Liu Yuyang Architects |
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| Typical section--drawing © Courtesy of Atelier Liu Yuyang Architects |
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| Program typologies--drawing © Courtesy of Atelier Liu Yuyang Architects |
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| Urban path and location of kiosks diagram--drawing © Courtesy of Atelier Liu Yuyang Architects |
Project Data
Project name: Shanghai Nanjing Road Pedestrian Kiosks
Location: Huangpu, Shanghai, China
Program: Information, souvenirs, lottery, mobile phone charger, ATM, vending machine, et al
Project Scale: 4.5 m2 per kiosk (12 kiosks in total)
Design Year: 2008
Built: 2008-09
The people
Architects: Atelier Liu Yuyang Architects
Design Team: Liu Yuyang, Mavis Fan, Lin Yilin, Yuan Ping, Jimmy Poek
Lighting Design: Uno Lai
Photographs: © Courtesy of Atelier Liu Yuyang Architects
Note>>Location in this map, It could indicate city/country but not exact address.
