6th Department Store Urban Renewal

Project background: Xujiahui Central Business District (CBD) is in Xuhui District, a historically significant area and southwest gateway of Shanghai. Started as a department store in the 1980s, it has developed into a major municipal business hub. To adapt to the changing needs of the business landscape and citizens, we propose transforming the Sixth Department Store and surrounding urban space into a public living room and commercial centre. Our goal is to optimize open space and add value to Xujiahui CBD’s renewal. Stitching urban spaces: Preserving the site’s original layout, the project creates a pedestrian plaza space on Hengshan Road by shifting to the side of Zhaojiabang Road. The building will face Caoxi North Road, opening up to the city square on the side of Huashan Road, transforming it into an urban leisure plaza. Shops line the street path leading to the mall, facilitating the natural flow of people. A commercial drop-off area and an entrance for Huijin Department store improves convenience for visitors. Enhancing Xujiahui’s loop: The project enhances Xujiahui’s loop by improving public accessibility and convenience through a core public space node at 600 and Huijin. Commercial areas are replaced with urban public space, and a front space node and landscape square provided for east, south and north. The original flyover system had to detour around the building to connect Xujiahui CBD and vertically divert traffic to enhance the business district’s aggregation. The building volume will be raised to integrate urban space into the site’s interior, converging people from all sides and creating a vibrant public space atmosphere with the second-floor businesses while granting access to 600 and Huijin. Vertical public space: The building features a multi-floor design with the second floor serving as the main gathering point from the overpass, accessible from the subway’s B1 level via a long escalator. The first floor has a three-story high activity space for events, cultural and artistic experiences, while the fourth floor focuses on commercial experience and art installation. The landscape platform facing the city square is in dialogue with the landscape space and square of Xujiahui CBD. The seventh and eighth floors serve as public services and community canteens, combined with a rooftop garden for experiential dining. The building has a two-story double-height cultural activity centre that complements the entrance square space, with its cultural and artistic display as an extension of the square space, and the square landscape activity serves as the performance stage of the activity centre, reflecting the building’s cultural function and respect for Xujiahui’s heritage. Upgrading the lifestyle: The building enhances livability within a 15-minute living circle, providing public cultural facilities and a city square for rest, celebrations, and outdoor art exhibitions. Green building and sustainability: The design aims for sustainability, with multi-level landscape greening to improve microclimate and also conserves water resources through rainwater collection and reclaimed water treatment. Photovoltaic solar panels are installed on the rooftop and the green slope uses a rain canopy to collect light energy, minimizing energy consumption.