Rochdale-based CJ Partnership Architects (www.cjpartnership.com) has been selected to provide conceptual design and consultancy services for the £1 billion regeneration of the former French Concession area in the Jing An district of Shanghai, China.
CJ Partnership Architects is providing strategic urban planning and conceptual designs for the development headed by Tongji University (www.tongji.edu.cn/english) and the Shanghai government (www.shanghai.gov.cn).
Known as Media Street, the prestigious project is set to be completed in three phases over the next five years. Phase one, which includes the creation of two subway stations, a four floor underground retail and parking zone, demolition and rebuilding of some existing buildings and the regeneration of existing heritage architecture, is due to be completed by 2012.
As well as the culturally significant Jing An temple, which dates from 247AD, the French Concession contains many 19th century and early 20th century buildings that are now protected by the Shanghai Urban Planning Administration Bureau. Some of the buildings will be retained for residential use while others will be renovated for a variety of other retail and cultural uses. The centrepiece of the development will be the construction of a new elegant 100-metre, 25-storey retail and office tower, which has been designed with reference to its historical and cultural context.
CJ Partnership Architects was selected because it has particular expertise in the sympathetic conceptual design and regeneration of older buildings. It also specialises in the strategic design of sustainable spaces and has an in-house energy consultant and BREEAM assessor.
Paul Clark, managing director of CJ Partnership, said: “Rampant urban development in Shanghai has meant the loss of many of the city’s old buildings and the loss of its character.
“The Shanghai government has recognised this and is now trying to preserve its remaining old buildings and cultural heritage. It is taking the advice of consultants at Tongji University and CJ Partnership Architects who have expertise in the preservation of architectural heritage.”
Tongji University has a prestigious School of Architecture and Urban Planning which is supporting the regeneration of Media Street. Professor Allen Huang said: “We selected CJ Partnership Architects to provide conceptual design services for this development because I have worked with them in the past and know that they have particular expertise in urban regeneration and heritage projects.”
Paul Clark added: “The Shanghai government is also trying to make the development as green and sustainable as possible and is able to draw on our expertise as BREEAM assessors.
“The developers will be using recycled and local materials as much as possible. The building will be energy efficient and it will be equipped with heat pumps, natural ventilation, waste water management systems and photovoltaics.”
The tower will feature a reduced amount of glass in the façade. The exterior will also use cladding created from recycled copper, which will have a unique graded oxidised finish, and will include solar shading to reduce internal heat gains and to help reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions of the building. Use of the detailed crafted metal panels will also make the building a feature of the Shanghai skyline.
Commenting on the design concept Paul Clark continued: “While being a uniquely modern and sustainable building, the design is influenced by the elegant structures of the early 20th century, which have stood the test of time. The emphasis is on craft and detail, and we have endeavoured to produce a small jewel of a building, which we hope in time will prove to be a significant addition to the existing architectural heritage.”
CJ Partnership Architects was aided in developing its business relationships in China by UK Trade and Investment (www.uktradeinvest.gov.uk) and the China-Britain Business Council (www.cbbc.org). Both organisations provide a range of business support services that enable companies in the UK which wish to trade in China do so more easily.
