Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts, Shanghai University (Wusong)

gmp’s concept for the conversion of a disused stainless steel factory in the Baoshan District of Shanghai emerged victorious in the international competition. The 860-meter-long factory with its distinctive basic structure is being retained and fitted out to accommodate the new headquarters of the Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts. The factory started operations in 1986 and played an important role in China’s steel production for 30 years. Vacated in 2016, the building will now become a focal point within an art quarter that is currently being created. The academy, which is part of Shanghai University, is one of the country’s key institutions for the study of art and for international art exchange. The basic structure of the industrial building will remain unchanged. Using Cor-Ten steel frames, an access corridor will be created in the core of the building along the central axis for the entire length of the 860-meter-long building. These new elements resonate with the dark concrete and dark steel framing of the existing industrial architecture. The imposing ventilation openings on the roof are integrated in the design as space-defining skylights that give the corridor a certain rhythm along its entire length. The facades will be opened up and replaced with large glazed panels and metal mesh as a second skin. Approximately 220,000 square meters of gross floor area will accommodate the most important teaching facilities as well as studios, a forum with restaurants and retail areas, a library, sports facilities, a museum, and exhibition areas. With the conversion of the stainless steel factory, gmp is currently planning one of the most important Chinese reuse projects in an urban context.