中國上海　西岸漩心

Wutopia Lab｜Wutopia Lab 建築師事務所

The Chinese name for the exhibition hall, '西岸漩心' (West Bund Orbit), derives from the poetic line '水理漩洑，鹏风翱翔' ('Water swirls and soars with the wind'). This powerful and dynamic phrase helps the audience connect the natural forms presented in architecture and interior design, such as waves, vortexes, ribbons, stars, and orbits. It aids in understanding that people are like stars, able to orbit outside the building along trajectories. Hence, the name 'Orbit' emerged.

The first set of documents I received was the ground plan confirmed by the transportation authority, with a diamond-shaped circular corridor surrounding a diamond-shaped exhibition hall. I was informed that the design should embody the spirit of Shanghai. At that time, I had just finished reading Underland: A Deep Time Journey and there was a chapter about vortex which made me connect it to Shanghai. Shanghai has always been in the vortex of public opinion but always manages to create surprising achievements. I thought, what a great theme a vortex would be. I rotated the diamond plan and decided to design the exterior walls of the exhibition hall as a vortex. It would become the second layer of the facade behind the glass curtain wall. I structured the entire interior design PLOT based on the theme of the vortex. The exhilarating vortex dominates the first story, one that has a luxurious height of 10m. Inside the marble vortex is a clean and multifunctional grand event hall used for exhibitions, fashion shows, and conferences. The vortex pattern is reflected in the division of the circular corridor flooring, and at the same time creates a richly layered ceiling.

Different levels of patterns effectively conceal the structure and equipment pipelines between the facade and the exterior walls of the exhibition hall, allowing the vortex to stand out visually without being cluttered. The vortex becomes the dominant visual element, maximizing the tension of symbolic significance in a visual sense.

此項目名為「西岸漩心」，其名出自詩句「水理漩洑，鵬風翱翔」，充分體現本案設計中呈現的水浪、漩渦、飄帶、星辰與軌道等自然形態，同時暗指人類即如星辰，能圍繞軌道於該建築外，上下環行。

由於建築地面層以菱形環廊包圍著菱形展廳，如「漩渦」般的型態即成為靈感來源。設計師以「漩渦」為題打造展廳外牆，藉此比喻上海的紛擾繁碌和輿論意象。首道立面採用大理石且高達10米，為整體設計主軸；內部則是一座多功能活動展廳。漩渦的花紋體現在環廊的地坪劃分及層次豐富的天花上，不同層次的花紋完美隱藏外立面和展廳外牆間的結構與設備管線，使漩渦設計獨立於外立面，而非彼此相連，繼而將視覺張力最大化。

The expansive water surface serves as the hall for showcasing models. Based on the variable cross-section structure, I designed the roof ceiling as a slightly curved dome, creating a skylight that utilizes maximum net height to simulate the sky. Below the sky, there is a pattern of the Huangpu River, winding through island-like model platforms, leading to the subtly outlined gate of Tushan Bay. Behind it is a large conference room, surrounded by lush greenery, resembling a forest, facing the slowly eastward-flowing Huangpu River. Reality and imagination converge at this moment, in this space.

The second floor is the exhibition hall, representing the calm water surface with ripples and shores left after the vortex. Behind the scenes on the second floor, all auxiliary functions such as the entrance hall, projection room, restrooms, VIP lounge, and various meeting rooms are hidden behind the shores – abstracted caves accommodating diverse needs. Upon entering the second floor through the hall known as the 'White Cliff,' one can follow the scroll expressing the glorious moments of Xu Guangqi's life or directly enter the main space filled with shimmering water reflections.

進入大廳，團隊依據變截面結構，將屋面天花設計成一個稍微彎曲的穹窿，並利用最大淨高結合天窗的光線，創造出天空景色。天空下的黃浦江圖案則穿過島嶼般的模型台，蜿蜒指向大門，後方為充滿綠意的大會議室，並且面對著真正的黃浦江，使現實和想像在此處交匯。大廳呈海棠如意的形狀，一處缺口為衛生間前廳，場中央設有水浪翻滾的大理石台盆，猶如縮小的漩渦般，在細節處展現本案意象。

二樓為項目展廳，整體設計猶如漩渦褪去後帶有漣漪的平靜水面及礁岸，而門廳、放映廳、會客廳、廁所、貴賓休息室，以及大小會議室皆設置於礁岸後方，如一座抽象的洞穴。

The basement of Orbit serves functional purposes, housing public corridors, communal restrooms, communal dressing rooms and VIP dressing rooms. They represent the underwater world beneath the vortex. The architect created an underwater lighting experience in the corridors, and using three different colors of electroplated stone, along with coral-colored stone materials, he simultaneously constructed the symbolic meaning of an underwater coral reef on the basement level. We were so enamored with the coral theme that we used green jade marble to craft the VVIP dressing room on the first floor. When the photographer captures an overhead shot of the dressing rooms from the mezzanine, it creates the illusion that the protagonists are in both a real and surreal myth.

地下場域設有走廊和化妝間，團隊除了在走廊打造海底光線體驗之外，亦透過三種不同顏色的電鍍石及珊瑚紅石材，為化妝間營造一股珊瑚意象；貴賓化妝間則選用綠翡翠大理石建成。由上方俯瞰此處，人們彷彿身處在一個真實又迷幻的神話之中。