Crystal Pool | 100architects

Crystal Pool  is a creative public space intervention  designed for the grand opening of a new mixed-use complex located in the New Bund, the emerging international business center in Pudong (Shanghai), with the aim of fostering entertainment & social interactions among new visitors, appealing to kids, youngsters & adults alike.

The project comprises the staircase that connects the street level with the public rooftop of the commercial building, and also the landing area on the street level in an attempt to link both levels through an eye-catching intervention which could encourage visitors to use the staircase as a public space as well.

The staircase was sprinkled with “water drops”, different typologies of mini-tribunes, carefully designed to provide a range of different seating & lounge positions overlooking the whole central intersection plaza. Those “water drops” would then create a “water puddle” on the bottom landing area, a pool of fun for the younger visitors, containing an obstacle track and a virtual pool with fun features as a playscape.

The resulting intervention is rendered as a playscape on the street level, filled with basic geometrical objects such as bubbles and waves to be colonized by kids, besides shaded seating features for adults, plus a funky staircase, turned from just a circulation space into a space to stay, to rest, to lay down and contemplate the urban enclave.

Designer: 100 Architects

Design team: Marcial Jesús, Javier González, Lara Broglio, Mónica Páez, Keith Gong, Evgenia Likhachova, Marie Anseaume

Production: Hong Yang Advertising (Shanghai)

Client: Tishman Speyer Properties

Location: Pingjiaqiao Road 36, Pudong, Shanghai, China

Built area: 470 m2

Completion: September  2019

Photographer: Amey Kandalgaonkar