UNDER THE SEA

An urban intervention Inspired by the marine world

UNDER THE SEA

09

Dec

2022

Chongqing

Asia/Shanghai

Chinese

Population: 15 Million18 million in 2025

GDP: 2.04 6 %

BigMac: 2.74 us dollars

Under the Sea
Chongqing | China
 
Under the Sea is an intervention of the public realm of a newly built mixed-use development in the city of Chongqing, aiming to activate the open-air retail street through visual stimulation. The project is entirely inspired by the marine world, creating an immersive experience full of fantasy and surprises.
 

Under The Sea | Official Video | 100 Channel
 




 

© 100architects


Large floor graphics depicting a stream of water, and a series of eye-catching and socially engaging installations themed as an Undersea World along the pedestrian area play an important role in the social activation of the space as well as in the stimulation of visitors and users.
 
 

© RexZou


 

© RexZou


As its name reveals, the project depicts a colorful and intricate Undersea World, the natural habitat of the Starfish Xingzai, our client’s IP Mascot. We make Xingzai embark on an undersea journey where he meets jellyfishes, algae, shells, octopuses, and even a whale!
 
 

© RexZou


 

© RexZou


Designed as an eventful and meandering stream of water, the grey pedestrian street’s floor turns into a colorful painted scape in Aquamarine hues, encouraging both, pedestrian circulation along the street to keep discovering as well as taking pauses in the mini pocket plazas where floor games and play equipment provide encapsulated doses of joy and entertainment to kids and adults alike.
 
 

© Lalo


 

© Lalo


Taking advantage of the retail street’s layout in 3 different levels due to the site’s topography, the project is carefully designed starting on the top level, where subway stations and arrival points are located, following the water stream downhill to the lower levels, as water would physically behave, to smartly use the full potential of the available space, guiding visitors through the middle level of the retail street, finding fun features and deep sea creatures along the pathway, down to the lower level where the stream of water is stagnant revealing the big starfish Xingzai.
 
 

© 100architects


 

© RexZou


 

© RexZou


All the 3-dimensional sea creatures and other urban furniture and floor games are strategically located concentrically over contrasting bubbles in Coral hues, organized in a way that leaves accessible the emergency fire track.
 
Under the Sea has been thoughtfully developed as a “Play Route”, having into consideration different challenges and levels of difficulty for different age groups in different areas. A directional stripe on the floor guides visitors from bubble to bubble, unifying them in a coral path that gives shape and order to the Play Route.
 
 

© RexZou


 

© RexZou


Each of the coral bubbles is a platform hosting specific functions and features that encourage social interactions through leisure and play. Those programmatic bubbles initially executed as 2D floor graphics for circulation, in certain moments become 3D shapes forming urban furniture, play structures and objects for leisure.
 
Altogether, the intervention enhances and stimulates the experience of visitors along the newly built pedestrian street, and creates successfully a very colorful and stimulating community hub for the neighbors and visitors.
 
 

© RexZou


 

© RexZou


 

© RexZou


 

© RexZou


 

© RexZou


 

© RexZou


 

© RexZou


 

© RexZou


 

© RexZou


 

© RexZou


 

Credits
 
PROJECT NAME: Under the Sea
DESIGN: 100 Architects (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
DESIGN TEAM: Marcial Jesús, Javier González, Mónica Páez, Lara Broglio, Ponyo Zhao, Keith Gong, Cosima Jiang, Michelle Aldora & Yuntong Liu.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT TEAM: Jenny Fan, & Eva Jiang.
CLIENT: Chongqing Hai Shang Xing Real Estate Co., Ltd.
SIZE: 8,000 m2
STATUS: Built
PRODUCTION: Red Kid Recreation Equipment Co. LTD
LOCATION: Chongqing (China)
PHOTOGRAPHY: Rex Zou
VIDEOGRAPHY: Lalo López

More images

Neighborhood Intervention

What is a neighborhood intervention?
This is the medium-scale type of intervention that takes place in the public realm of a city, related to the altering of a portion of a neighborhood. A type of intervention of such magnitude and notoriety impacts not only the immediate surrounding urban environment but rather the urban dynamics of a whole neighborhood, becoming an urban landmark and a local attractor of social interactions in a given neighborhood.
 
The main objective of this typology is to trigger massive public interest in the place through a strong visual impact and injection of activities, encouraging the increase of high public influx and establishing an urban landmark that can cultivate important human dynamics and boost commercial activity. These phenomena are achieved through the creation of spaces for leisure, entertainment, play and collective joy, catalyzing important social interactions throughout the neighborhood.
 
This topology of intervention, normally is used by real state developers to bring fresh and unique ideas to the public realm of their urban developments, which contributes to stand out in the market, establishing a distinct brand identity through innovative, and user-oriented design solutions that enhance the quality of life and thus, the appeal and value in the eyes of potential buyers or tenants, increasing the marketability of the project and potentially leading to higher property values, rental rates and ultimately faster sell out. This interventions maximize the value of the entire neighborhood.

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Related Moments
Jelly tentacles

Jelly tentacles

This slide coming out from the jellyfish is so fun!

Photo by Kevin

Taken at UNDER THE SEA

Magic!

Magic!

This water fixture is so magic with the water spray, the lighting and the big tale! Love it

Photo by Kate

Taken at UNDER THE SEA

My nice twins

My nice twins

They are so lazy that they just wanted to chill on top of the tentacle LOL

Photo by Miky

Taken at UNDER THE SEA

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