In the heart of Shanghai’s West Bund, West Bund Orbit stands out as a striking architectural. Designed by Wutopia Lab, the building transcends mere functionality to showcase Shanghai’s rich tapestry of history and innovation.
Vortex patterns are reflected in the division of the circular corridor flooring, and at the same time creating a richly layered ceiling. Outside, the facade beckons with ribbons and spirals, a visual symphony that dances in harmony with the surrounding landscape. Mirroring a giant wave, the vortex is created by three-dimensional carving marble using a five-axis machine and then assembled on site. It indeed creates a Baroque perception, with the marble appearing solid yet expressing the dynamic force of fluid. By night, it transforms into a beacon of light, casting a luminous spell upon Shanghai’s waterfront.
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- Photo credit: CreatAR Images
Drawing parallels from nature’s patterns, the design team sculpted the interior landscape to reflect the fluidity and energy of swirling currents. 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 basement of the 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.
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- Photo credit: CreatAR Images
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.
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- Photo credit: CreatAR Images
