CRYSTAL POOL

Crystal Pool
Crystal Plaza | Pingjiaqiao Road | Shanghai | China

Crystal Pool is a creative public space activation 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.

Official Video | Youtube Channel

photo by © Amey Kandalgaonkar

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.

photo by © Amey Kandalgaonkar

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.

photo by © Amey Kandalgaonkar

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.

photo by © Amey Kandalgaonkar

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.

photo by © Amey Kandalgaonkar

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.

photo by © Amey Kandalgaonkar

CREDITS:

Project Name: Crystal Pool
Design: 100architects (Shanghai)
Design Team: Marcial Jesús, Javier González, Lara Broglio, Mónica Páez, Gong Xun,
Yevheniia Likhachova, Marie Anseaume, Cosima Jiang.
Client: client -ShangHai Renyao Real Estate Co.&ShangHai Renlu Real Estate Co.
Area: 680 m2
Completion: September 2019
Location: Number 36 ,Pingjiaqiaolu ,Pudong new district.Shanghai, China
Photography: Amey Kandalgaonkar

Product definition

It is an inhabitable architectural object inserted on top of an existing urban environment, but alienated from its surroundings.

This architectural object intervenes in the space by touching the ground and acting as an accessible and multifunctional platform, allowing people to stand on top of it and interact directly.

The main objective of this conceptual prototype is to trigger a massive public interest to the place, encouraging the rise of high public affluence, becoming a remarkable virtual landmark that attracts customers and cultivates important human dynamics and commercial activity.