GRAND THEATER SQUARE - SHANGHAI

Abstract

Over the last few years, Shanghai has been facing challenging urban problems resulting from rapid economic growth. Its traditional urban fabric is being destroyed hastily to make way for the galloping new constructions. To protect this city's priceless urban heritage from being engulfed by scaleless development is an emergency measure we must take now. This thesis will explore the validity of the insertion of a new mixed-used commercial, cultural and residential complex into a 6.5-acre traditional city block in a very heterogeneous urban space of Shanghai. The purpose is to provide an aesthetically dynamic yet practical solution to fill the wide scale gap between contemporary high-rise buildings and the historic blocks, to set an example of revitalization and rehabilitation that inspiringly employs the spirit of old traditional neighborhoods to highlight the city's historical past, and finally, to redefine the place of history in a new urban environment.