archi-union uses robotic arm for shanghai gallery façade

in shanghai, china, archi-union architects has designed an exhibition space for a local art organization that features a distinctive brick façade. the building, which hosts various events and workshops took just five months to complete, thanks in part to a robotic masonry fabrication technique. the renovation project replaces a previously existing building, retaining and strengthening its exterior walls in order to maximize exhibition space.

the building features a distinctive brick façade
image by shengliang su (also main image)

completed for ‘chi she’, an artistic group founded by zhang peili and geng jiangyi, archi-union’s scheme involved replacing the roof with a lightweight timber canopy. part of the roof has been elevated to both increase gallery space and allow for external views of the sky. as the complex brick façade could not be achieved with conventional methods, the design team utilized robotic fabrication techniques to convey the vitality of both the exhibition space and the wider neighborhood.

robotic masonry techniques were used in the project’s construction
image by shengliang su

the exterior walls feature grey green bricks recycled from the previous structure, which have been reconstructed with a robotic mechanical arm to generates the undulating surface. the robot’s control and precise positioning enables the ancient brick material to meet the demands of the 21st century, while establishing connections between humans, machines, and material matter.

the scheme was completed for a local artistic group
image by shengliang su

part of the roof has been elevated to increase gallery space
image by shengliang su

the previous roof has been replaced with a lightweight timber canopy
image by shengliang su

the façade design conveys the vitality of the exhibition space
image by shengliang su

the walls feature grey green bricks recycled from the previous structure
image by shengliang su

an aerial view of the shanghai exhibition space
image by bian lin

the building hosts various artistic events and workshops
image by bian lin

a robotic mechanical arm was used to generate the undulating surface
image by yuchen hu

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archi-union chi she exhibition gallery shanghai china designboom

project info:

name: chi she
design company: archi-union architects
fabrication company: fab-union intelligent engineering co. ltd.
location: building d, no.2555 longtengdadao, xuhui district, shanghai, china
area: 200 sqm
design: february 2016 – march 2016
completion: april 2016 – september 2016
architect: philip f. yuan / archi-union architects

design team:
architect: alex han, xiangping kong, tianrui zhu, qinrong liu
structural engineer: rui wang, junchao shen, xiaofeng zhang, jin wang
interior designer: xuwei wang, xiaoming chen
construction equipment: yong liu, changying jiang, xi li

fabrication team: philip f. yuan, yuchen hu, liming zhang, wen zhang
photography: shengliang su, bian lin, yuchen hu

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