It’s actually a community service station and a check-in point for Shanghai’s waterfront treasures
There are inevitably some nooks and crannies along the "river", such as abandoned small buildings, old public toilets, old shift rooms, etc. How to update these "old and broken" and what they will be used for after the update requires a lot of thought.
Nowadays, they have been transformed into "Eye of the Su River" and "Sakura Valley". They not only serve as riverside inns, providing excellent scenic spots for passers-by to rest, and have become riverside Internet celebrity check-in spots, but are also used as places to serve surrounding citizens. Community public facilities.
Will the combination of the two bring new sparks and inspiration to the waterfront space?
The south bank of Suzhou River is sparkling. Directly opposite the river bank of Sihang Warehouse, a green and white nested building attracts the eye. This five-story building is the comprehensive public service center of Nanjing East Road Street Community - the "Eye of Suhe" zero-distance home.
It has become an internet celebrity due to its beautiful scenery, and people have nicknamed it the "Green House". It used to be a hotel, but then gradually fell into disrepair. The Huangpu District Government is determined to transform it into a community comprehensive public service center.
In 2019, the Zhang Ming team of the "Tongji Original" architectural design studio took over the renovation of this old building. Wang Xunan, one of the team architects, still remembers that when he first came to the site, the old building was already dilapidated, but the green exterior wall covered with ivy left a deep impression on everyone.
This also paved the way for the subsequent focus on green design.
The old building is so old that there are no detailed drawings and files. Coupled with the years of renovations, the adjacent Suzhou River rises and falls. Has the foundation been eroded by the river water? What's the internal structure like? What's the situation like underground? Totally unknown. This brings great challenges to the design.
The whole project seems to be "dismantling the blind box". After the foundation was exposed, the ground was filled with water. After the water was pumped away, it was discovered that the building had settled to varying degrees and needed to be dealt with urgently.
The design team cleverly used reinforcement to flatten the floor slabs to solve the stability problem of the entire building. "Although it is somewhat difficult, preserving this building also preserves the memory of a city." Wang Xunan said.
Today, visitors can see at a glance that there is a corridor on the ground floor of the "Green House", and under the corridor is the outdoor space of Tims Cafe. There are several small outdoor tables and chairs facing the Suzhou River, which is very comfortable.
In Shanghai, where it is rainy and humid, the threshold of a house is usually raised to prevent water accumulation, but the floor of the verandah of the "Green House" is one step lower than the outside.
"If you dare to do this, of course the waterproofing has been carefully designed. On the one hand, it is to deal with the problem of uneven foundation; on the other hand, the exterior space is like an arcade, giving it a more underground sense of quietness and privacy." Wang Xunan explained.
The original building was too closed which also troubled the architects. The steel plates and steel bars at the end of the 20th century witnessed the ups and downs of the city of Shanghai. But now, they are crumbling. How to strengthen the building while reflecting openness? Conditional restrictions force ingenious creativity:
The entire northwest corner of the building was "cut off" and the walls were demolished to expose the original steel structure. After being reinforced with columns wrapped with green new materials, the criss-crossing steel columns formed a hollow three-dimensional lattice.
In the hollow grid, a green outdoor staircase leads from the ground to the roof. Each floor has vertical greening on the facade, and each group of hollow green grids overlooks the beautiful scenery of the Su River, like a framed landscape painting.
In this way, it is not only light in structure, but also beautiful, interesting, ecological, and more open and touristy.
It is worth mentioning that each floor has a special set of small furniture.
They are originally load-bearing steel plates used to reinforce the building, but they are not one piece. Instead, they are designed as a combination of concave sofa stools and lattice bookshelves, making people think they are furniture placed behind them, but they are actually wall structures. In this way, it not only solves the problem of strengthening the old building, but also maximizes the use of space for people to rest and activities.
The architect continued to make "subtractions" - a patio was opened in the middle of the building, and sunlight penetrated directly through the highest glass, illuminating every floor without turning on the lights.
Even though several parts of this cube-like building have been "cut off", the internal space, which was originally chaotic in function and had low overall utilization rate, has been reorganized and the actual utilization rate has not been reduced compared to the original.
The roof of the "Green House" is now known as the "most beautiful rooftop" on the Suzhou River: a rest area surrounded by vines and green plants and lined with lounge chairs; a viewing area overlooking the beautiful scenery of the Su River and the "three-piece suite" of Lujiazui in the distance; various paving areas The leisure and fitness area with the game logo in the alley... The rooftop has a unique view, and it has become the only public open platform near this section of the Suzhou River where you can overlook the river bend and the city skyline from the 5th floor.
On weekdays, the rooftop can host fitness activities, corporate press conferences, institutional team building, etc., and even radio talk shows are recorded here.
Stronger openness gives Suhe Eyes more functions and possibilities.
The reporter came to the "Green House" on a working day and was surprised to find it very lively.
The crowd is divided into two groups. One group is passers-by taking a rest here. They didn't go in, but sat on the verandah, ordered a cup of coffee, and stared at the river in a daze. There were also cyclists and white-collar workers who took their coffee and left.
There is also a group of nearby residents. There is a community health center service station on the first floor, especially the Chinese massage and acupuncture rooms, which are particularly popular. According to the massage doctor, there are an average of 20 visits per day, and there is no break at noon.
The lobby on the first floor usually has consultation and reception functions. Once an event is held, the movable partition can be pulled out and it can become a closed small activity room and multi-functional hall, with many activities every week.
The second floor is the community study room and community canteen. The study room is beautifully designed and has an excellent view of the river.
The outdoor space is shaded by greenery and the canopy of trees hangs down, allowing you to directly feel the breath of the river.
The study is fully occupied, and the view seats are even more popular. There are children doing homework here, and there are also young people working with laptops. Books on the shelves are available for borrowing and are connected to the Shanghai library system.
At noon, the community canteen becomes lively. A meal costs about 20 yuan, which is cheap and good. In addition to the elderly, there are many young people.
What's even more surprising is that at two or three o'clock in the afternoon, the canteen is not open, but there are still young people in twos and threes in the seats, some taking naps, and some working. A good landscape space can even make the dining room an extension of the study.
The third and fourth floors are for elderly care homes and other elderly care services and are not open to the public. The fifth floor is the gym. In the large classroom next to the river, Pilates training beds are lined up.
Sunlight, river water, and skyline are reflected into the house through the entire row of windows. This kind of fitness environment has been praised online. According to staff, group fitness classes are more popular among white-collar workers and companies in the surrounding areas.
The "Green House" has two identities: a Binjiang Station and a comprehensive community service center.
In the former, Internet celebrities check in, citizens rest, and watch the scenery by the river, which has become a flowing landscape, and the encounters between people are unknown and interesting;
The latter has fixed functions such as community canteens, services for the elderly, study rooms, and health stations for community residents to come and go frequently. The social circle of acquaintances makes the beautiful space always popular, and the utilization rate is greatly improved. Later operations and maintenance are no longer required. become a problem.
Dialogue with the surrounding scenery, dialogue with nearby neighbors, and ultimately stimulating dialogue and encounters between people are the key to micro-renewal of the riverside.
Along the Suzhou River to the east, this section near the Bund has a unique Shanghai style. The Shanghai Postal Museum stands on the opposite bank. Looking back from Yanqingli, you can see the Oriental Pearl looming through the layers of old buildings.
Close to Zhapu Road Bridge, there is a building on the riverside. The tapered glass skylight and the folding fan-shaped roof hide a "Sakura Valley" on the waterfront.
Under the vine trellises along the bank, round stone piers provide resting places for cyclists and walkers. It's so pleasant to admire the historical buildings, step on the gradient terrazzo, and enjoy the gentle breeze from the river.
On social platforms, this Shanghai CityWalk route at the Bund of Suzhou River is known as a niche treasure. Cherry blossoms in spring and hydrangeas in summer once detonated social platforms.
The scenic view of Sakura Valley is a modern glass station built on a public toilet. Online store models, fashion street photography, wedding photography, etc., professional photographers have spread word of mouth about this treasure location. On a clear day, queuing up to take pictures becomes the unique scenery of Sakura Valley Station.
Zhang Ming's team set out to update this section of the Suzhou River. There is Sinopec No. 1 gas station to the west of Sakura Valley. It was originally built in the early last century and was one of the earliest gas stations in China. After the update, its shape is eye-catching, and passers-by can't help but look at or take pictures when passing by. In addition to the function of a gas station, it also serves as a historical display of the gas station. It is like a small industrial exhibition hall, which is very interesting.
A few hundred meters east along Sakura Valley is the Sakura Valley Station built above the public toilet. Climbing up the outdoor stairs at one end of the public toilet, you will first find a semi-open terrace. The terrace provides various views of the Suzhou River, old houses and the Bund.
When you push the door and enter, you will see floor-to-ceiling glass on three sides of the station, surrounded by landscape. The wavy folds of the roof reflect the sparkling water.
Inside, the colorful sofa in the shape of a tangram can be assembled according to the needs of the event.
Sakura Valley Station is also a zero-distance home to the Bund Street. However, it is small in size and completely transparent, so it cannot be implanted into a comprehensive community service point like a "green house".
Its characteristic is that it is close to the intersection of rivers and rivers, with many tourists and young people. It is positioned as a comprehensive service point integrating party and mass service stations, volunteer service stations, tourist service stations, and outdoor worker service stations.
In September 2022, Shanghai Citizen Night School will hold the first offline beauty lesson here. The teacher, Ni Mengqi, has served as a stylist for many artists and programs, teaching students to quickly create makeup that suits different occasions.
12 classes for 500 yuan. You can take classes at Sakura Valley Inn while enjoying the night view of Suzhou River and the Bund lights. Urban white-collar workers find it extremely beneficial, and the limited quota is sold out instantly. According to statistics, in the autumn class of 2022, the Citizen Night School will have 20 branches and 55 teaching points outside the main campus of the Municipal Art Museum. "What's different from the teaching points in the museum is that the courses here come to the Bund's doorstep." said a volunteer at Sakura Valley Station. It has also won the reputation as the most beautiful night school in Shanghai.
Immediately afterwards, the Shanghai Rowing Open opened on the Suzhou River. The Sakura Valley Station located at the head of the Suzhou River was used as an outpost command point that day, and the space along the river below it received a large number of passengers.
On weekdays, painting, velvet embroidery, and parent-child courses offered in the Bund streets will also be held at the inn.
A special geographical location means a specific jurisdiction. A major feature of the Bund Street is that there are many businesses. Utilize the inn with excellent scenery to "expand the circle of friends", and form various activities between enterprises and streets, and between enterprises and enterprises in the inn, resulting in various "chemical reactions".
No. 249 Waima Road is located on the Huangpu Riverside. Above it is the Bund Landscape Platform, which is well-known to tourists across the country. More than 100 meters of idle space under the platform has now been updated into a financial product lane and a zero-distance home.
The updated space style is more like a coffee shop study room. “I have never seen such a party-mass service station before.” Li Wenwei, who works at the Shanghai Gold Exchange, lamented.
He showed the reporter the WeChat mini program of Xiaodongmen Street. Through the mini program, member units can reserve the use space of Financial Products Lane. It has become a "shared space" for enterprises and communities. Not only does it provide meeting and activity venues for surrounding enterprises, the street also cooperates with many enterprises to implant a series of warm, warm, group-based and project-based "one-hour lunchtime" activities. .
After white-collar workers finish their lunch, it has become a norm for them to come here in groups to participate in lunch activities. There are party history classes, music box assembly, Chinese style bookmark DIY, immortal flower making, shoulder and neck care lectures, psychological board games, intangible cultural heritage bamboo weaving, paper sculpture making, tea culture, music box making, etc. Due to the novel theme of the event and the high quality of the content, it will be sold out almost every time.
Even if you don't participate in activities, the scenery along the river is superb. Sitting at the bar in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows and staring at the road outside is also a kind of lunch break.
Li Wenwei believes that before this space existed, companies organized party-building and team-building activities themselves, usually within the company, with a single staff, relatively rigid content, and no new ideas. With this space, companies and companies can jointly organize salons, make new friends, participate in activities organized by the street party building platform, and even plan how to "play" together, with rich and diverse content.
"The atmosphere here is comfortable, the scenery is pleasant, you can communicate with people from other units, and there are more resources. It's just different." Li Wenwei said that Financial Alley has become an important spiritual charging station for the surrounding youth after work.
In addition, there are many cyclists in nearby businesses and there is a fixed community. Financial Alley is also a regular resting spot for cyclists. In the service station, in addition to the comprehensive service area, temporary exhibition area, staff bookstore, youth center, Xinye Station, and coffee sharing area, there is also a specially opened "cycling gas station" to provide bicycle storage and spare parts replacement services.
Whether it is an old hotel, a public toilet, or an idle space under the platform, there is no fixed pattern for the renewal of One River One River. They are all riverside inns, but they are not just inns. They are integrated with surrounding community services and play the role of 11>2.
Even community service has no single model. From tourist check-in points, urban large-scale cultural and sports activity service stations, to the circle of friends that connects community business, culture, and activities, each zero-distance home has its own characteristics based on different resource endowments and personnel composition. Under the guidance of street party building, each zero-distance home has its own characteristics. A hundred flowers bloom.
They are both community micro-updates and riverside idle space micro-updates. It not only retains the urban memory of one river and another, but also maintains the openness and functionality of public services.
Using a snail shell as a dojo, there may be more room for imagination in the future of urban micro-renewal.
