Shanghai's newest landmark, Sky SOHO, debuted this week with a grand opening carnival celebration and light show attended by more than 10,000 spectators to witness the inauguration of the futuristic architecture.
Sky SOHO is Zaha Hadid's first work in Shanghai. Located on a lot of 86,000 sm and with a total GFA of 350,000 sm, Sky SOHO is comprised of 12 standalone buildings interlinked by 16 sky bridges. The buildings resemble four bullet trains about to take off.
Sky SOHO is the third in a trilogy of SOHO China developments designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, following Galaxy SOHO and Wangjing SOHO in Beijing.
Situated in the Shanghai Hongqiao Airport Economic Zone, Sky SOHO is adjacent to the Hongqiao transportation hub. The area is already home to the headquarters of over 800 companies, and has become established as an especially dense and active commercial zone in the Yangtze River Delta region. Boasting its spectacular design and advantageous location, Sky SOHO is Shanghai's new iconic landmark building.
Sky SOHO was designed to be a green, sustainable building with efficient energy use. So far, it has achieved LEED Gold precertification. To manage Shanghai's chronic air pollution and ensure high quality clean air indoors, Sky SOHO uses an advanced air purification system to effectively filter out over 90% of the atmospheric PM2.5, far exceeding the national standard.
Renderings courtesy Zaha Hadid Architects
Sky SOHO is also equipped with a pure-drinking water five-layer filtration system that meets the water standards for aerospace facilities. Filtered water will be provided to all office kitchens above the second floor level.
This past September, SOHO China announced the sale of 100,167 sm of the Sky SOHO to Ctrip Travel Network Technology for its future office space development. Ctrip's presence is expected to invigorate the business environment, which will in turn facilitate the Sky SOHO leasing.
SOHO China Chairman Pan Shiyi comments, "After four years of arduous work, we have finally been able to transform the architect's blue prints into a new landmark for Shanghai. We thank every construction party for their tremendous efforts. We have always been very positive in our outlook on the Shanghai market, and will continue to strive to bring more iconic architectural works to this dynamic and cosmopolitan city."
Related Stories
Women in Design+Construction | May 28, 2024
Commerce Department launches Million Women in Construction Community Pledge
The U.S. Department of Commerce launched its Million Women in Construction Community Pledge this month to boost the ranks of women in construction companies. Federal investments are creating a construction boom that is increasing job opportunities for construction and trade workers.
Laboratories | May 24, 2024
The Department of Energy breaks ground on the Princeton Plasma Innovation Center
In Princeton, N.J., the U.S. Department of Energy’s Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) has broken ground on the Princeton Plasma Innovation Center (PPIC), a state-of-the-art office and laboratory building. Designed and constructed by SmithGroup, the $109.7 million facility will provide space for research supporting PPPL’s expanded mission into microelectronics, quantum sensors and devices, and sustainability sciences.
MFPRO+ News | May 24, 2024
Austin, Texas, outlaws windowless bedrooms
Austin, Texas will no longer allow developers to build windowless bedrooms. For at least two decades, the city had permitted developers to build thousands of windowless bedrooms.
Resiliency | May 24, 2024
As temperatures underground rise, so do risks to commercial buildings
Heat created by underground structures is increasing the risk of damage to buildings, recent studies have found. Basements, train tunnels, sewers, and other underground systems are making the ground around them warmer, which causes soil, sand, clay and silt to shift, settle, contract, and expand.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | May 23, 2024
The Cincinnati Open will undergo a campus-wide renovation ahead of the expanded 2025 tournament
One of the longest-running tennis tournaments in the country, the Cincinnati Open will add a 2,000-seat stadium, new courts and player center, and more greenspace to create a park-like atmosphere.
Mass Timber | May 22, 2024
3 mass timber architecture innovations
As mass timber construction evolves from the first decade of projects, we're finding an increasing variety of mass timber solutions. Here are three primary examples.
MFPRO+ News | May 21, 2024
Massachusetts governor launches advocacy group to push for more housing
Massachusetts’ Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll have taken the unusual step of setting up a nonprofit to advocate for pro-housing efforts at the local level. One Commonwealth Inc., will work to provide political and financial support for local housing initiatives, a key pillar of the governor’s agenda.
Building Tech | May 21, 2024
In a world first, load-bearing concrete walls built with a 3D printer
A Germany-based construction engineering company says it has constructed the world’s first load-bearing concrete walls built with a 3D printer. Züblin built a new warehouse from a single 3D print for Strabag Baumaschinentechnik International in Stuttgart, Germany using a Putzmeister 3D printer.
MFPRO+ News | May 21, 2024
Baker Barrios Architects announces new leadership roles for multifamily, healthcare design
Baker Barrios Architects announced two new additions to its leadership: Chris Powers, RA, AIA, NCARB, EDAC, as Associate Principal and Director (Healthcare); and Mark Kluemper, AIA, NCARB, as Associate Principal and Technical Director (Multifamily).
MFPRO+ News | May 20, 2024
Florida condo market roiled by structural safety standards law
A Florida law enacted after the Surfside condo tower collapse is causing turmoil in the condominium market. The law, which requires buildings to meet certain structural safety standards, is forcing condo associations to assess hefty fees to make repairs on older properties. In some cases, the cost per unit runs into six figures.
