Firm： gmp von Gerkan, Marg and Partners Architects

Type： Commercial › Office

STATUS： Built

YEAR： 2015

SIZE： 500,000 sqft - 1,000,000 sqft

BUDGET： Undisclosed

Photos： Christian Gahl (6)

Innovative parametric façade development / Façade and landscape elements create a strong impression of

the ensemble.

The 3Cubes office building designed by gmp for the Caohejing Business Park in the western part of Shanghai

have now been completed. The office building complex with service functions in the basement floors has a total

gross floor area of 60,000m² and consists of three cubic building volumes with different heights of between

35 m and 60 m.

The gmp design places particular emphasis on the character and elegance of the ensemble. To this end, an

important role is performed by the façade, which features a special design also in terms of technical detail.

The white building volumes have an austere elegance and, with their vertically oriented façades, blend in with

the surroundings while nevertheless – in their overall composition - contrasting with the very heterogeneous

urban ambiance. The interaction between harmony and contrast is replicated in the design of the exterior

surfaces. An undulating grass landscape culminating in a hill, with trees and arch-shaped recesses, provides

access to the naturally lit basement floors. The landscape stands in flowing contrast to the static cubes in a

harmoniously unifying manner, while at the same time emphasizing the cool austere elegance of the building

volumes.

Nevertheless, there is no doubt that the façade is the key element of the design. Here too, the interaction

between adaptation and deviation is the primary design element – the smallest cube has the largest openings

in the façade, extending over two floors, while the façade of the largest cube is structured by smaller, singlestory

openings. And it is just the resulting visual irritation which subtly supports the overall composition of the

buildings.

The façade is noteworthy for another special feature – the width and angle of the elements, which are alternately

glazed and clad with white perforated panels, were determined parametrically. This meant that various

factors, such as the position of the sun during the seasons, shading by neighboring buildings, the attraction of

the outlook, the position in the building, and privacy requirements were individually evaluated at each façade

side for a dot grid in the 3D model, resulting in a certain angle of opening at each point in the façade. With this

method it is possible to optimize natural light, the view and very detailed shading options. In addition, it added

another aesthetic dimension to the 3Cubes – the façades, with the elements folded at different angles, create a

lively iridescent image. At night this effect is further accentuated by the lighting elements integrated into the

façade; all façade surfaces become light-installation walls with the option of producing programmed images.