100architects reactivate the west gate area of jiadin with multifunctional platform

being occupied by a local wet street market, the west gate area of jiading in china has been losing over time the cultural relevance and significance that it had in the past. the new proposal is intended not only to bring back the relevance of all this cultural heritage, but also reactivate the area by the injection of commercial activity.

preserving the old and traditional soul, while embracing new and contemporary solutions

the shanghai based studio 100architects has aimed to identify the cultural DNA of jiading, addressing it through the design process and program, in order to provide a new scenario for its reborn passing on its heritage. the cultural intangibles, such as craftsmanship and teaching tradition define a ‘non-material heritage’ of jiading. during the preliminary studies, the design team has found that there are also few tangible elements that generate the ‘material heritage’ of the area. the aim is to identify those tangible elements and highlight them in the proposal in order to maintain the identity, while modernizing it.

aerial view of the waterfront

the proposal can be summarized as a cumulative process of several keypoints based on the idea of preserving the old and traditional soul while embracing new and contemporary solutions:

1. preserving the key buildings, the most significant ones and kept in better conditions, in order to preserve the memory of the past settlement.

2. preserving the old street pathway and materials, as the footprint that carries the soul of the old street.

3. taking advantage of characteristic elements of the site, such as the waterfront, and the patios, in order to enhance the way visitors experience the public space.

4. creating an alternative elevated pathway on the 2nd floor, which is the most important innovation with regard to the previous existing situation, increasing the linear meters of retail + cultural spaces while boosting the perception of the surrounding area. it is both, an aesthetical and a commercial strategic improvement.

5. inserting a striking public space right in the middle of the street, an object for the society, thought and designed to encourage social interactions, contact and relationships among people. a place to talk, teach, learn, and rest.

reactivating area for social interactions

feature public space and alternative elevated pathway

multilevel street strategy

revitalizing pocket plazas

sectional perspective of the ‘glocal west gate’ by 100architects

design process

inserting a public space right in the middle of the street designed to encourage social interactions among people

preserving the old street pathway and materials, as the footprint that carries the soul of the old street

patios as cultural clusters

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edited by: apostolos costarangos | designboom