2nd phase of 16 Wharf, Shanghai (China)

New wave

What is a city’s most beautiful avenue? In some cases, it is not a road. In Shanghai, it could be the Bund, a promenade several kilometres long on the banks of the Huangpu River. The quays have been used since the 10th century, under the Song dynasty. The “muddy banks” – the English translation of the Anglo-Malay word “bund” subsequently became the preferred location of Western concessions until 1946.

In the 2000s, the Waitan – the Chinese name for the Bund, meaning “outer beach” – was redeveloped taking its heritage and touristic value into account. Located in the bend of the river, the heart of the Bund enjoys an incomparable panoramic view of the Pudong District on the opposite bank, which, since the year 2000, has been dotted with dozens of skyscrapers housing the Shanghai World Financial Center, a sort of 21st century Manhattan. This industrial district became a ferry terminal in the 1980s, from which thousands of Shanghai workers cross the river daily. Expo 2010 completed the transformation of the riverbanks into an urban leisure space. Tunnels replaced the ferries, which were converted into sightseeing boats.

The Pier 16 project is a key element of the revitalisation of this site, which ran out of steam after Expo 2010 ended. It features a boat terminal, a historical and interpretive centre, and shops. According to the ANS firm that designed the Project with A+Studio, this exceptional building called for iconic architecture.

The development of the centre was underpinned by two roof waves that are clearly distinguishable from the surrounding residential architecture. To make this building unique, the architects chose QUARTZ-ZINC® cladding, which highlights and amplifies its shape. They chose a natural colour that blends harmoniously with the stone ground. The layout is based on standing seam zinc strips installed over the entire length of the roof. Every third row has a thick joint accentuating this pattern, giving rhythm to the span of the roof with its depth. Nothing was left to chance, as demonstrated by the junction of the zinc strips, designing a series of stepped seams following the urban ripple of this new wave. At night, LEDs light up, illuminating the building like a lighthouse.