The Benoy team once again has cause for celebration, following its participation in the recent international design competition for the functional planning and urban concept design programme for the Golden Bund area in Shanghai.
The Golden Bund in Shanghai is located on the eastern bank of the lower Huangpu River, adjacent to the Inner Ring Road. It stretches from Yanggao North Road in the east to Luoshan Road in the south, Jungong Road and Yangshupu Road in the west and the Xiangyin tunnel in the north, covering a total area of approximately 34.4 square kilometres on both sides of the Huangpu River. The conceptual design primarily focuses on the existing Hudong Shipyard, with a total area of approximately 1.8 square kilometres.
Area study
The Golden Bund area represents the intersection of two significant development zones: the “One River, One Creek” area and the “Golden Middle Ring”. It serves as the core area for the northern expansion of the central activity zone. Following the three development stages of the Huangpu River, from the Lujiazui Golden Triangle to the Qiantan New Bund, we are confident that the Golden Bund’s new functions and business model will integrate with the Yangpu District to form the future science and innovation triangle of Shanghai’s global city. With the strategic preservation zone and the transformation and development zones on both sides of the Huangpu River, we will collectively build a strong functional backbone for development north of the river.
Through our research into the site’s location, we have highlighted the importance of opening up Golden Bund as a strategic preservation area on the banks of the Huangpu River, and outlined our vision for the area.
Firstly, with the growing concentration of new online economy industries in the lower reaches of the Pujiang River, Golden Bund should be led by Shanghai’s future key growth areas to cultivate future industry clusters and build a new online economy on both sides of the digital bank.
Secondly, the location of Golden Bund on the former site of the Hudong Shipyard presents a unique opportunity to tap onto the rich culture of Pudong Shipyard and the remains of the shipping industry. Our plan is to carefully preserve renovate this historical architecture while injecting new life into it. Through these efforts, we aim to revitalise the culture of Pujiang and build a national heritage conservation and demonstration area that will become an integral part of the “recreational demonstration belt”.
Furthermore, to cater to the large residential population in the surrounding areas and building on this urban renewal, the Golden Bund will incorporate a series of state-of-the-art arts, cultural and sports facilities and services to shape the vibrant riverfront. These additions will help to promote the northward expansion of high-calibre cultural and sports facilities on both sides of the river, extend the riverside greenway and create a new site for public activity along the northern bank of the river.
Our ultimate goal in regeneration and upgrading the Golden Bund area is to create a diversified cross-river development to optimise intercity transport, and unlock the potential for wireless development in the area. As the northern starting point of the Pudong riverside, Golden Bund will leverage the strategic preservation area’s potential, cultivate the emerging industries, and spearhead the overall regeneration of the northern section of the Huangpu River area.
Industry planning
In terms of industrial planning, the project hopes to create a “Digital Golden Bund, Fashionable Riverbank in the Cloud” by combining Shanghai’s role of the “World’s Digital Capital” with the city’s urban planning framework and the functions of the top design school planned for the Golden Bund, aligned with the emerging global digital fashion region.
The plan is to build a “4+2” core industry system, focusing on the development of four leading industries — future digital innovation, digital lifestyle innovation, green and low-carbon development, and leading global design — and two service platforms — bespoke financial services and empowerment platforms.
A “four beams, eight pillars” science and innovation system has been developed to nurture the innovation potential of the digital fashion. Ultimately, the plan aims to cultivate a “rainforest system” for the digital fashion industry in Golden Bund. Through government-led market forces and relying on top engines and platforms to build core industry clusters, nurture small and medium-sized enterprises, and provide a favourable environment for innovation and ecology for the digital fashion industry.
As for the functional configuration of the industry, the project comprises three major functional blocks: the “operating location choice”, “global platform for expression” and “ultimate innovation base”. By leveraging the existing elements of the site, we encourage the development of clusters and diversified compounding of the four leading industries, creating a development model that combines industry and city.
According to Qin Pang, Benoy Director and Head of Shanghai Studio, head creative planner for the Golden Bund district:
“Ten years ago, our concept proposal for the core area of Lujiazui’s riverbank incorporated the concept of a vertical city and the blending of commercial and residential areas as a gateway to a new type of mixed-use, convenient and efficient central business district. This time, our plans for Golden Bund aims to further reinforce three-dimensional transportation and mixed use models, while also preserving the rich heritage of the industrial architecture on the site, improving the urban fabric, and introducing a sound industrial ecology. The goal is to make Golden Bund an innovative source of digital fashion, a future zone for a human-centric city, a core location for a world-class design capital, and a model for a city centre of the future.”
Core strategy
The proposal adopts “one belt, one axis, three zones” as the main planning structure and utilise four strategies — “hyper-convergence, hyper-connectivity, hyper-dialogue and hyper-ecology” — to interpret the unique connotation of the name “Golden Bund”.
Hyper-convergence:
In terms of industry, the three key functional blocks synergise with each other to create a collaborative effect that drives the development of the digital fashion industry. The space is designed with a multi-directional, horizontal and vertical mixed-use zoning model that integrate industrial functions on the same site. Advanced management methods are introduced to present a model that integrates leading companies and vertical function zones to create a fashionable city district that combines work and life. To address the region’s high-capacity demands, the plan includes three horizontal and one vertical public service-driven axes, with the riverfront closely connected to the region to form a public service cluster axis.
Hyper-connectivity:
A new river crossing will be added to establish a multi-level, three-dimensional transport link to meet the demand for river crossing between the more distant and adjacent rivers. This will provide a link between the two sides of the Huangpu River at the Golden Bund area and between the sites. Additionally, three TOD (Transit Oriented Development) rail stations situated within the site will be incorporated to establish a public transport priority model with rail transport at its core. The regional road network will be expanded. Through integrated development above and below ground, and inside and outside the site, the project will provide diverse and convenient access to the entire area.
Building on this foundation, the project features a diverse system of pedestrian routes. The pedestrian-friendly “small and compact road network” is supplemented by a two-storey walkway section. Additionally, the “three routes” of the pedestrian system on the Huangpu River will be extended along the riverfront, connecting the hubs of the riverfront pedestrian zone. This creates a walkable and interconnected environment, enhancing the pedestrian experience.
The industrial planning includes a “rainforest system” that has been combined with the key links in the industry chain to form a resource hub for both domestic and international markets. This is achieved through a series of intelligent cloud-based links, enabling Golden Bund to form an efficient and connected digital supply and transportation network.
Hyper-dialogue:
The plan carefully selected heritage sites with distinctive shipyard characteristics to be preserved, and combined the preserved architecture with the new construction to create a variety of spaces with different atmospheres. Different strategies were adopted for the use of each preserved architecture, with the intention of exploring the industrial culture, site characteristics and architectural features of the Hudong Shipyard. The goal is to innovate the industrial transformation model, while preserving the historical significance of the site, and to bring new life to the shipyard site.
Based on the riverfront development route, the plan echoes the historic factory buildings on Fuxingdao Island. These form four successive groups of facades along the riverfront, creating a dialogue between the industrial heritage on both sides of the river, preserves the memory of the site, and creates a stylish blend of old and new.
Hyper-connectivity:
The plan sets out six low-carbon measures aligned with China’s “dual carbon” goal, including active generation, passive energy efficiency and cloud-based regulation. These measures will be implemented through a series of phased carbon reduction programmes that will enable Golden Bund to meet its 2060 target for carbon neutrality. Additionally, the plan features cutting-edge technology and harmonious concepts to a create comfortable and sustainable low-carbon living environment.
Shi Bo, project leader and Associate Director of Benoy, expressed his delight at the outcome of the project:
“Benoy participated in this competition as a collaboration with SPC and KPMG forming a team that leverage on each company’s unique strengths and advantages. Through clear division of labour, cooperation and mutual respect, we were able to achieve a result that met the satisfaction of was all those involved.”
Benoy anticipates that “Digital Golden Bund, Fashionable Riverbank in the Cloud” will serve as an innovative model for development along the Huangpu River, driven by the need to enhance the vibrancy of the city while strategically planning for staggered development advantages.
