Shanghai, China
Description: Landscape garden for the new Pudong library
Location: Shanghai, China
Stages: Competition, Runner-up
Period: 2016
Area: 3,9 ha
Client: Shanghai Pudong New Area People’s Government
Architect: David Chipperfield Architects
Djao-Rakitine Team: Irene Djao-Rakitine, Mariel Drego, Chun Wing Fok
The site is in the sub-district of Huamu, at the end of Century Avenue, along Century Park.
As part of the new library, a landscape garden has been designed to create an open, permeable social space at ground level, connecting the architecture to nature and the surrounding cityscape. Above the ground floor garden, the stacked reading and research spaces establish a single volume that creates a physical presence within the city.
It comprises different typologies of landscapes that respond to the different edge conditions of the site and users of the library. The garden becomes part of the experience of the library and its design fosters a peaceful and tranquil atmosphere for visitors before they enter the building interior.
The existing woodland on site is framed by a perimeter wall which defines the realm of the library. Entrance gates on each side of the site allow urban connections to form through the garden and the permeable ground floor of the library to the wider context. In many cases, the gates are pavilions in themselves, providing framed views to the surrounding streets of the landscape within. Each gate has a unique design that responds to its specific context.
The garden is a reference to the Chinese scholar gardens and includes one large pond, rock works, trees and flowers, and an assortment of structures connected by paths and sheltered walkways. The structures serve as observation points and by moving between them, visitors experience a series of carefully composed ‘scenes’ and moments within the gardens.
Various types of walls and screens (brick, white concrete, and wood) bring the different landscape typologies together and seperate the space. As in a traditional Chinese garden, the walls also provide a pure backdrop to reveal the beauty of each planting.
All images are © Djao-Rakitine, unless otherwise stated.
