Shanghai West Bund International AI Tower & Plaza

This project is a redevelopment of the former Longhua International Airport airfield and aviation industry site in the West Bund district along the Huangpu River that runs through Shanghai. The undertaking represents a commitment to architecture and urban design by Nikken Sekkei spanning over a decade since its selection by international competition in 2009. The suburban complex includes two skyscrapers, a high-end office space, an aviation station, as well as an arts center and a luxury hotel. A large retail building at the rear of the towers has also been constructed. Inspiration for the design began with the concept of “wind,” and its connection to the former local aviation history, the surrounding aeronautical industry, and current atmospheric airflow. Fluid simulation technology was utilized in plans for everything from building volumes and interiors to commercial public spaces, landscaping, and the waterfront environment. This has resulted in an environmentally conscious urban impact that features greenery, water, wind, and light, along with a 70,000　m2 space for the public to enjoy. The wind and runway set the theme The runway formerly used at the site was transformed into a park and positioned along the urban axis. The overall framework of the city and its streets fosters a lively urban environment. Mixed-use functions were integrated by making the streets more compact. Approximately 60% of the planned city block is intentionally left vacant, and many green brick spaces have been created. The greenery of the runway memorial park will be connected to the site’s other open green spaces, and later to the green area along the riverside. The retail district is superimposed on the green link, creating public spaces and plazas for an environmentally friendly city where people feel free to comfortably move about. Contribution to the surrounding urban environment The plan casts building layouts in a way that minimizes the development’s overall impact on the surrounding city, particularly with regard to the “heat island” effect. It also represents a re-think of conventional high-density developments where dense rows of buildings typically obstruct wind flow and cause thermal accumulation due to excessive use of air conditioning equipment. The site's streamlined “windbreak” design attenuates stronger wind currents in the low-rise areas, improving comfort in public spaces around the skyscrapers. Creating a new city to shoulder its heritage Following closure of the local airport, the area had fallen into decline in recent years, with the abandoned runway, hangars and other facilities dotting an unattractive cityscape. Rather than erase the area’s history, however, this urban redevelopment project sought to transform it with an architectural and urban plan that recasts its spatial composition, natural environment, aeronautical image into a modern, environmentally-friendly city. By realizing this concept, the project has attracted cutting-edge companies in artificial intelligence and robotics, etc. This design approach has also paved the way for a city of the future, bristling with leading commercial entities both within the project and in surrounding communities. AI Tower has achieved LEED-gold as a result of the implemented architectural and engineering designs.