area 102 | leisure

architect: Scenic Architecture Office

location: Shanghai, China

The project locates besides the highway from Shanghai to Zhujiajiao, with a 30,000 sqm green land and two factory buildings inside that are now renovated as a restaurant and a bar. Tree blocks define both plant spices and exterior spaces. Exposed drains and stone alleys wander among different blocks to direct walking and views. The reorganization of volume and space of the two buildings follows the logic of the originals. Several local materials and construction methods are studied and expressed here through tectonics. A screen of local pine battens folds vertically on the east part of the restaurant building to give sense of privacy for the internal VIP dining rooms and create exterior cavity space for air-conditioning machine. This wood screen therefore achieves a visual effect for views between inside and outside. On the bar building, wood screens show as well on the east side to open the internal space to the landscape while solid brick walls are used on the west facade to prevent the noise from the traffic. Two kinds of traditional dark grey bricks with different thicknesses, typically used in South-East China, are composed together here in a new way. The layers of thick and thin brick alternate in a coherent rhythm, resulting in a very regular pattern of horizontal lines. The corners of the brick wall make no attempt to hide the construction method of the facing.

project: The Green Pine Garden
location: Qingpu, Shanghai
use: Restaurant and Bar
building area: 1603 sqm
material: White paint, Pine batten, Grey brick, Glass
design/built: October 2004 – July 2005
client: Yiluhua Industry Development Co. Ltd
architecture design: Scenic Architecture Office
team: Zhu Xiaofeng, Guo Dan

Scenic Architecture Office was founded by Mr. Zhu, Xiaofeng Zhu in Shanghai in 2004. He got his B.S. degree in architecture from Shenzhen University in 1994 and Master of Arcitecture from Harvard University Graduate School of Design in 1999. He worked at KPF in New York for 5 years before establishing his own practice. The spirit of architecture exists in how people perceive the basics of nature and living. Rather than certain style, it is the emotion and logic of space, light, material and human activity what is vital in our design. Practicing in a context of rapid development in China, we dedicate our energy to explore strategies of transforming contemporary urban and social dynamics into operable design languages. We believe that this is a way to keep architecture fresh and away from an international trend of formalism.