SOHO Hailun Plaza, Construction began in November of 2012 for the SOHO Hailun Plaza located in Shanghai. Designed by UNstudio, this project is slated to be completed in 2016. The program consists of a 130-meter office tower and five retail-office pavilions each with their own distinct form.
© UNStudio
To unify the expansive project a unique multi-faceted skin clads the buildings to form one cohesive complex. Being located at the intersection of two metro lines, the edifice is well situated for office and retail space. The skyscraper and multi-use pavilions are arranged in accordance with the flow of commuters from the subway station into the city with ample greenery surrounding the structures, as well as the rooftops, to provide a series of stages for urban activity.
© UNStudio
Hidden underground is also a 6 level basement. The faceted panels enveloping the structures act as both a shading screen and window. The pattern not only gives the plaza a distinct style and place but also creates a variety of visual effects throughout the course of the day depending upon the angle at which it is being viewed in order to establish a dynamic façade. In order to ease the construction of the double-curved form of the skin, the façade is divided into segments. The dynamic tectonic geometry of the exterior is then reinterpreted indoors in the form of select finished partitions in order to bring the structural language outside into the interior.
Project info:
Architects: UNStudio
Country: China, Shanghai
Year: 2013
Photographs: Courtesy of UNStudio
Design Team: Ben van Berkel, Caroline Bos, Astrid Piber with Hannes Pfau, Markus van Aalderen and Luis Etchegorry, Ger Gijzen and Cynthia Markhoff, Veronica Baraldi, Joerg Lonkwitz, Shuojiong Zhang, Severin Tuerk, Paxton Sheldahl, Tomas Mokry, Nathan Melenbrink, Caroline Smith, Dan Luo, Yue Zhou, Alan Chin Che Hung, Nan Jiang
LDI: TJAD
Facade: Inhabit
Lighting: a-g Licht
Client: SOHOChina, Beijing
Building Surface: 112,132 m2 (GFA)
Building Volume: 500,550 m3
Building Site: 28,103 m2
Kristin Hoover is an editor at Arch2O and a proud graduate of Virginia Tech. Since joining in July 2014, she has authored over 200 insightful articles covering everything from adaptive reuse and cultural centers to eco-buildings and urban infrastructure . With a passion for architectural storytelling, Kristin skillfully curates and crafts compelling narratives that bring design innovation to life. Her editorial work reflects a broad yet finely honed interest in how architecture intersects with society, technology, and the environment—making her a key voice shaping Arch2O’s explorations of contemporary built form.