IM Shanghai

IM Shanghai is principally an office development, with integrated cultural and retail facilities located in the Changning District of Shanghai, occupying 40,355sqm with a total GFA of 157,345sqm. The site was previously abandoned factory buildings surrounded by high density residential blocks and adjacent to Redtown Art District along KaixuanLu. The design objective is to respond to its surroundings both through providing a vibrant streetscape and through careful articulation of the office tower forms to ensure that surrounding residential property isn’t adversely shaded.



Each tower is naturally varied in form and organically oriented while we also designed for the practicability and flexibility of the interior space. The tower has an efficient core. The typical plans are mostly square with reasonable depth. The lift zoning allows the core size to reduce to preserve good core to window depth, efficient office space, in the tapering forms. The inclined columns with structure transformation, together with the changes on the building form create the unique silhouette while still delivering practical usable space.



A vision for Urban Regeneration is called to bring in vibrancy of the district to inject commercial, new cultural, conferencing and leisure amenities to serve a wider spectrum of community. IM Shanghai forms a local hub and gives a new identity for the Changning District. The masterplan locates a series of sunken plazas to draw pedestrian circulation and allow natural daylight into the basement. Rock-shaped pavilions are placed to form a dynamic streetscape with surface detail featuring subtracted cracks to form double height foyers, cut-out terraces creating a unique elevation. Together they form an iconic “Mountainous” silhouette which will be a unique landmark in Shanghai, acting as an experimental and cultural hub targeted at startups, hi tech and creative companies.