Building like a ship. Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab
22/05/2023.
[Shanghai] China
metalocus, OSCAR A. SÁNCHEZ
metalocus, OSCAR A. SÁNCHEZ
Chinese architecture studio Wutopia Lab designed a new building with multiple functions. "Copper Blockhouse" is a stage for exhibitions, performances, conferences, parties, a museum, and even skating activities. The project is located in the Pudong neighborhood, one of the fastest-growing areas in the last decades in the city of Shanghai, China.
In 2021, studio founder Yu Ting was commissioned by his friend Qiye to design a central building in the middle of the creative industry park that she had already renovated for him.
The project began with a very personal creation process between the two friends and the program for the new building was drafted jointly by both of them, discarding functions that did not convince them such as clubs and cafes, and trying to propose a multifunctional spiritual fortress: "The museum is the church of the modern age, and could soothe our troubled souls. Therefore, we use the museum as the basis of the work.”
In 2021, studio founder Yu Ting was commissioned by his friend Qiye to design a central building in the middle of the creative industry park that she had already renovated for him.
The project began with a very personal creation process between the two friends and the program for the new building was drafted jointly by both of them, discarding functions that did not convince them such as clubs and cafes, and trying to propose a multifunctional spiritual fortress: "The museum is the church of the modern age, and could soothe our troubled souls. Therefore, we use the museum as the basis of the work.”
Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab. Photograph by CreatAR Images.
Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab. Photograph by CreatAR Images.
Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab. Photograph by CreatAR Images.
Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab. Photograph by CreatAR Images.
Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab. Photograph by CreatAR Images.
Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab. Photograph by CreatAR Images.
Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab. Photograph by CreatAR Images.
Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab. Photograph by CreatAR Images.
Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab. Photograph by CreatAR Images.
Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab. Photograph by CreatAR Images.
Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab. Photograph by CreatAR Images.
Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab. Photograph by CreatAR Images.
Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab. Photograph by CreatAR Images.
Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab. Photograph by CreatAR Images.
Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab. Photograph by CreatAR Images.
Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab. Photograph by CreatAR Images.
Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab. Photograph by CreatAR Images.
Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab. Photograph by CreatAR Images.
Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab. Photograph by CreatAR Images.
Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab. Photograph by CreatAR Images.
Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab. Photograph by CreatAR Images.
Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab. Photograph by CreatAR Images.
Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab. Photograph by CreatAR Images.
Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab. Photograph by CreatAR Images.
Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab. Photograph by CreatAR Images.
Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab. Photograph by CreatAR Images.
Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab. Photograph by CreatAR Images.
Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab. Photograph by CreatAR Images.
Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab. Photograph by CreatAR Images.
Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab. Photograph by CreatAR Images.
Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab. Photograph by CreatAR Images.
Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab. Photograph by CreatAR Images.
Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab. Photograph by CreatAR Images.
Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab. Photograph by CreatAR Images.
Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab. Photograph by CreatAR Images.
Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab. Photograph by CreatAR Images.
Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab. Photograph by CreatAR Images.
Site plan. Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab.
Ground floor plan. Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab.
Section. Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab.
Section. Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab.
Elevation. Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab.
Elevation. Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab.
Sketch. Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab.
Before renovation. Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab. Photograph by CreatAR Images.
Wutopia Lab was inspired by nautical machinery and ships to build an entire metal building, using copper as the main material. The arched shape of the original site is maintained and the metal factories are used as inspiration for its construction.
The building is covered by copper plates on both sides to form the internal and external facades. Construction of the building began with the keel, which was made of 150mm to 220mm wide welded structural steel, covered by copper plates on both sides to form the internal and external facades.
Given its position surrounded by grass and located on the north side of a black-bottomed pond, the project is also compared to a submarine since it appears to emerge from the water.
Inside is a gleaming stainless steel space that doubles as a cafeteria, as well as a stage, with a kitchen and bathroom. The building reduces its forms to a minimum to show itself as a calmer and more stable element in the face of the dynamism developed by others in the park.
Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab. Photograph by CreatAR Images.
Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab. Photograph by CreatAR Images.
Description of project by Wutopia Lab
Copper blockhouse · Full Metal Jacket
No fear. No distractions. The ability to let that which does not matter truly slide.
You're not your job. You're not how much money you have in the bank. You're not the car you drive. You're not the contents of your wallet. You're not your fucking khakis. You're the all-singing, all-dancing crap of the world.
In 2021, I was invited by my friend Qiye, to design a central building in the center of the creative industry park that I renovated for him. However, we are both spaced out those days as our wives are facing a similar dilemma. We are distracted, yet tried to take our minds off anxiety by working, but it was hard to fully concentrate.
Various possibilities of functions such as clubs and cafés were vetoed, as these ordinary functions cannot convince the two middle-aged men who were in panic. Eventually, we agreed on a multi-functional spiritual fortress as the central building. I said to Qiye that we needed to justify our existence, which was impossible for successful commercial development to achieve. The museum is the church of the modern age, and it might settle our disturbed souls. Therefore, we used the museum as the base of the work.
Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab. Photograph by CreatAR Images.
Nautical machinery and ships are huge metal objects, therefore, I decided to build the building entirely of metal, and copper was chosen in the end. I am superstitious that metal shell is strong enough to protect our frightened souls.
I Want to Build a Copper Blockhouse the Way a Ship is Built
First you have to give up. First you have to know, not fear, know that someday you're gonna die. It's only after we've lost everyting that we're free to do anyting.
The form of the design is the original arched shed on the site. The building is an arch, and that's it. It was the nautical machine factory that inspired me to build this fortress the way a ship is built. Therefore, the construction of the building started with the keel, which was made of welded structural steel from 150mm to 220mm wide, covered by copper plates on both sides to form the internal and external facades. This is the origin of Full Metal Jacket.
Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab. Photograph by CreatAR Images.
There's a gleaming stainless-steel space in the fortress, the cabin of the ship. It funcions a café, as well as a stage, with a kitchen and a bathroom. This is the only decoration of the Copper Blockhouse, symbolizing the sharpness of our souls, and the desires behind.
The grass on the north side of the fortress was designed into a huge black wading pool. The Copper Blockhouse is then presented as a submarine, emerging from water surface like a shimmering whale, quietly, silently, rippling inside.
Despite Nowhere to go, this Building is Our Salvation
Every evening, I died and every evening, I was born again. Resurrected.
The rest of the park was designed by an excellent architect who gave the park a new look. However, I kept the newspaper wall on south side of the shed, the human security, the big tree, and the rockery. I tried to remain some fragments of the memory of the site because I am increasingly reluctant to forget. Each building in the park is abundantly designed, and that's why I preferred to keep the Copper Blockhouse simple. If the whole park is a partita, the Copper Blockhouse is a silent pause.
Copper Blockhouse by Wutopia Lab. Photograph by CreatAR Images.
I ambushed a variety of possibilities in this "pause", the fortress - exhibitions, performances, lectures, parties, a museum, even skateboarding activities. The café can be used as a stage if keep the gate towards the pool open. With the water surface drawing down, a glittering catwalk appears. We once imagined here to be a dramatic show, but after the year of 2022, I've changed my mind. I hope there would be glorious fireworks, a choir performance on the water, singing about the pain and the hope. Because "What's past is prologue."
This is your life, and it's ending one minute at a time.
The name "Copper Blockhouse" is inspired by an air raid shelter reserved on the project site, a solid fortress.
Without pain, without sacrifice, we would have nothing.
More information
Architects
Wutopia Lab. Lead architect.- YU Ting.
Project team
MI Kejie, XU Nan, DAI Ruoyu.
Collaborators
Construction drawing design firm.- Shanghai Southeast United Engineering Design Co., Ltd.
Lighting consultant.- ZHANG Chenlu.
Lighting consultant.- ZHANG Chenlu.
Client
Shanghai Jiayun Investment Management Development Co., Ltd.
Builder
Shanghai Qikufangyun Culture Technology Co., Ltd.
Area
405 m².
Dates
April, 2021 to April 2023.
Location
Pudong, Shanghai. China.
Photography
Yu Ting Wutopia Lab Architects
Wutopia Lab is founded by the chief architect Yu Ting in Shanghai, which is an architecture company based on a new paradigm of complex system. Wutopia Lab regards Shanghai's culture and life style as a starting point, using architecture as a tool to promote sociological progress within building practice. Wutopia Lab focuses on human and is dedicated to link different aspects of urban life: traditional, daily and cultural to interpret Urbanian lifestyle, and to develop acontemporary Chinese aesthetic based on Shanghai.
While facing each project, Wutopia Lab's practices are promoted to show different innovative strategies, thinking modes and forms. Wutopia Lab is committed to comprehensive design, not only to complete the concept and deepen of buildings, but also focuses on early planning and analysis along with landscape and interior design. Wutopia Lab also has the capacity to coordinate and collaborate different types of departments and on-site construction.
While facing each project, Wutopia Lab's practices are promoted to show different innovative strategies, thinking modes and forms. Wutopia Lab is committed to comprehensive design, not only to complete the concept and deepen of buildings, but also focuses on early planning and analysis along with landscape and interior design. Wutopia Lab also has the capacity to coordinate and collaborate different types of departments and on-site construction.
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