continuation studio's workshop in shanghai excavates lost craft in city spatial renovation

continuation studio’s m.y. lab wood workshop is located on the first floor of a warehouse, which used to be the dongfeng sofa factory in shanghai. adjacent to the warehouse, it is stood a new-built 150 ㎡ attached room, forming a triangle gap in between. the task is to refurbish the 300 ㎡ one-story warehouse into a two-story commercial space, which is to be operated as a wood crafting learning center.

‘archaeological excavation site’

to the south of the site, a whole block of interior pavement left by a demolished market signifies, as a historical monument, the city’s progression on self-renovation. all in this very place, the past, present and future is gathered and revealed. as the nostalgia atmosphere deepens, chinese based continuation studio‘s wood crafting center, the future role that this space will play, is tasked with a similar subject. wood crafting, as a conventional technique that left behind by our modernized urban lifestyle, is in need to be rediscovered as a piece of treasure lost in time.

the task is to refurbish the 300 ㎡ one-story warehouse into a two-story commercial space

continuation studio’s design proposed an implantation of an ‘archaeological excavation site’ recreation into the original space with the height of 5 meters. the main wood crafting room is forged into a secluded space, by being positioned on the sunken floor behind the entrance wall, enclosed by a low wall made of terrazzo. above this space lays a massive pent roof, formed by a black metal mesh. from the top of the ramp, sunlight spills into the room, endowing it with the beauty of ritual. the staircase attached to the entrance wall leads to the corridor on the first floor, where visitors can lean against the fences, overlooking the entire ‘archaeological site’, where the wood crafting operations are on display.

wood crafting is in need to be rediscovered as a piece of treasure lost in time

a narrow and lofty corridor is set as the entrance to the main space. on the wooden wall, a series of display cabinets and led screens are installed continuously. meanwhile, a space under the screen closest to the entrance is designed for exhibiting furniture works. facing the other end of the corridor, there is the reception. high above which, it is installed a set of timber structure, taking inspiration from the traditional timber arch bridge. it also reveals part of its side to visitors’ first glimpse on their way in, implying the awakening of traditional crafting techniques.

a narrow and lofty corridor is set as the entrance to the main space

utilizing the triangle space formed by the slopping ceiling of the main space, a two-step terrace is designed into the classroom on the second floor, increasing its internal area. the triangle void also provides a hidden space to locate other practical equipment, such as air conditioners, in order to purify the appearance of the interior surfaces.

‘black box’ 1 — staircase

in order to enhance the visual sensation of floating of the second story, the load-bearing structures design for the added interlayer has become a significant matter. continuation studio’s solution is to lift up the primary beams of the second floor with only five columns, two of which are hidden within walls. multi-ribbed secondary beams grow out from the primary beams, attaching to the original walls as reinforcements. as a result, the second floor’s load bearing is accomplished by both the walls and five columns, leaving the entire main space seemingly lightsome.

its located between the two stories as a transportation junction

‘black box’ 2 is a resting niche with light overhead

‘black box’ 2 — tea room resting box

a sense of floating along the main space

corridor on the second floor

platform and stepped classroom on the pent roof of the 2F-2

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edited by: apostolos costarangos | designboom