Wave Cube文化中心建筑丨中国上海丨Scenic Architecture Office

Architects:Scenic Architecture Office

Area:29700m²

Year:2025

Photographs:Shengliang Su,Guowei Liu

General Contractor:Shanghai Construction Group Co., Ltd.

Structural Consultant:AND Office

Landscape Design:Growdesign Co.Ltd.

Category:Theme Parks,Cultural Center

Design Principal:Zhu Xiaofeng

Structural Principal:Zhang Zhun

Scenic Architecture Office Project Manager:Li Qitong

Scenic Architecture Office Design Team:Zhang Xuan, Song Yixuan, Chen Xuanxiang, Su Kaiqiang, Sun Jianong, Zhu Xiaoye, Geng Yutong, Hu Siyuan, Shen Ziwei, Zhang Chi

Scenic Architecture Office Interns:Hu Chenghai, Chen Xi, Xu Youlu, Sun Yihan, Li Jing

Tjad Architectural Team:Huang Jianming, Nie Fei, Gao Yun

Tjad ‌Structural Team:Zhang Jinxiao

‌Tjad Hvac Team:Li Weijiang

Tjad ‌Plumbing Team:Zhao Shiguang

Tjad ‌Electrical Team:Xu Chaoqun

Tjad Lighting Team:Yang Xiu

And Office Structural Consultant:Cai Yanming, Pan Jun

Operations And Interior Planning:Shanghai Fengyuzhu Culture Technology Co., Ltd.

Client:Shanghai Fengxian New City Construction and Development Co., Ltd.

Local Design Institute:Tongji Architectural Design (Group) Co. Ltd

City:Shanghai

Country:China

Wave Imaginary — Whether in literature or science, waves are both ubiquitous and mysterious. In the everyday environment of Earth, only a few visible continuous media generate observable waves, such as water waves, while experiences at the human scale are even rarer, with surfers being among the few who can enter the interior of ocean waves. As a man-made structure, architecture is formed through static systems that create fixed spaces to meet human needs for activities and rest within flat surfaces. Consequently, it is challenging to draw direct comparisons with dynamic systems like waves. Only fixed locations such as skateboarding pools provide an experience of dynamic undulation. In recent works by Scenic Architecture Office, the focus has consistently been on three directions: "courtyard settlement," "extension of homes," and "free cell." Among these, "free cell" explore new architectural forms through the integration of technology and spatial experience. The continuous undulation of mountains and waters, the traditional clustering of architectural rooftops, the reproduction of cells, and the transmission of information all share a morphological connection to waves. We have been continuously thinking whether the morphology of waves could offer further insights for the future of architecture. The "Wave Cube" project by Jin Hai Lake has provided us with a rare opportunity for exploration.

The Wave of Folded Undulation — In the planning of Shanghai's five new towns, Jin Hai Lake in Fengxian serves as the central landscape of the new town. The site of "Wave Cube" is almost square in shape, located on a circular peninsula on the eastern side of the lake, with water on both the east and west sides. This multifunctional cultural landmark is themed around science fiction. The design direction stems from the site's location and functional positioning: the building not only aligns with the surrounding lakeside green belt in terms of landscape integration but also strives to establish its own distinctiveness in both internal experience and external appearance.

Shanghai is characterized by abundant water and scarce mountains, and Fengxian is particularly a vast, flat expanse of fertile land. Starting from the terrain, a design direction that is both natural and powerful emerged, and the concept of artificial hills became an integral part of the design early on. Building upon this foundation, we sought to create a form of undulation that not only serves as the external image but also provides a unique experience for the interior space, offering more possibilities for groundbreaking interpretations of the sci-fi theme. Landscape, iconicity, and spatial experience: at the intersection of these three elements, we conceptualized a settlement composed of wave-like units that could infinitely extend in three-dimensional space. A portion of this wave form was then extracted for use in the building. After considering various scale options, the final selected range for extraction was approximately 80m x 80m x 20m, consisting of three layers of wave surfaces to form a three-tiered, stacked undulating space. The amplitude and phase of the wave were defined using a three-dimensional nine-square grid, and the frequency of the wave units in the upper large space was determined: two full units, four half units, and two quarter units. This resulted in a wave-like structure with an amplitude of approximately 12 meters, a span of about 54 meters, and a cantilever of about 27 meters. This can be considered the largest cell settlement in the "Free Cell" series of Scenic Architecture Office.

Following the generation of an initial 3D model derived from sinusoidal curves, we invited structural consultant Zhang Zhun and his team to conduct a feasibility study. Our objective was to synchronize the wave morphology with the principles of vaulted shell mechanics to derive a viable structural form. During the discussions, we realized that the standard sine wave shell has a completely different force transfer mode compared to an arch. In traditional structural terms, a compressed shell arch capable of spanning such large dimensions and cantilevering would require an unexpectedly high rise and thicker shell than originally anticipated.

Consequently, a spatial structural form, positioned between a shell and a wave, capable of both compression and tension, became the common goal for exploration. The structural engineers utilized simplified folded planes to identify the primary paths for gravitational and lateral forces. Through a topological transformation from faceted surfaces to curved shells, they elegantly resolved the challenges of gravity, lateral force transmission, and cantilevered loads, thereby pushing the compressive potential of reinforced concrete and the tensile capacity of prestressing to their absolute limits. Through iterative dialogue and mutual form-finding, the final composite structural system that mediates between vaulted shell and folded plane was developed: the lower "Green Hills," the central "Vaulted Void," and the upper "Wave Pavilion."

The individual "Green Hills" are discrete, yet their interstitial spaces are sheltered beneath the overarching "Wave Pavilion," together creating a continuous "Vaulted Void" in the middle. Along the perimeter, elevated semi-outdoor spaces introduce the surrounding landscape and allow the lakeside promenade to pass beneath the building. At the center, the ground-floor lobby, enclosed by a glass curtain wall, serves as a hub and gathering point for the building's internal circulation, embraced by the Green Hills. Two structural cores vertically penetrate the entire building, integrating the functions of structural support, vertical circulation, and MEP shafts. The continuously undulating ceiling of the "Vaulted Void," paired with a floor paving that flows like a stream between the hills, dissolves the threshold between interior and exterior, resulting in a holistically open public space at the ground level.

Suspended above the "Green Hills" and the "Vaulted Void" is the massive "Wave Pavilion." The upper and lower shells, cast in prestressed concrete, form the vertically symmetrical envelope of the  "Wave Pavilion."  Adhering to the rhythmic undulation of the wave modules, two structural cores and six peripheral shear walls—positioned at the eight convergence points—provide the support and cantilevered strength. This structural logic engenders a fluid wave-form field of approximately 6,400 square meters, with clearances varying between 4.5 and 12.5 meters, effectively creating an "interior park" within the architecture. The plane at the +9.1m level serves as the horizontal promenade through this indoor park, encircling eight sunken voids of varying shapes. These spaces are categorized into full circles, semi-circles, and quarter-circles based on the extracted wave geometries, each resonating with the vaulted domes above. The air conditioning system is arranged between the lower shell and the raised floor, employing a combination of low-zone sprinklers and high-zone water cannons to enhance the structural clarity of the overhead structure. At the domes of the two complete wave spaces, single large skylights and five smaller skylights are installed to ensure smoke exhaust and ventilation, while inviting the solar radiance within. The outer perimeter of the Wave Pavilion is encased in a glass curtain wall supported by exposed trusses, forming a continuous transparent interface facing the city, and creating an undulating aerial walkway.

The Challenge of Force Dynamics — Translating the mathematical purity of a sine wave into a tangible, load-bearing reality was the paramount challenge of both the design and construction phases. Within this composite spatial structure formed by three vertically superimposed wave-shell surfaces, the load-transfer mechanism integrates both vertical and diagonal modes. Architecturally, the diagonal force flow embodied by the wave morphology is the focal point of our expression, while the vertical conduction of the structural cores and mushroom columns is intentionally dissolved. In reality, a high-density structural system is concentrated within the seemingly pure wave forms. Construction required the meticulous organization of complex, highly coupled multi-system junctions: spatially curved prestressing tendons encircling the cores, tapering steel-reinforced beams, structural steel frames within the shear walls, and dense embedded MEP conduits. To ensure these elements remained 'interference-free' within constrained cross-sections, the design and construction teams utilized BIM-based spatial verification. This enabled the reinforcing mesh to precisely encapsulate the multi-source components, ensuring seamless integration without conflict.

Complex spatial positioning and the precision control of non-standard formwork presented another major technical barrier. Due to cost constraints, 3D-printed formwork was declined; instead, a high-density scaffolding grid—measuring 600 mm × 600 mm reduced to 300 mm × 300 mm in complex areas)—was utilized as the support system for the cast-in-place formwork. To solve the issue of circular steel shaping-pipes shifting under load, the construction team developed a customized adaptive limiting component (a "gripper") to lock the pipes precisely onto the central axis of the scaffolding poles. This technical innovation effectively suppressed formwork deformation during the concrete pour, ensuring a high-precision geometric realization of the undulating spatial curves. From the microscopic perspective of construction detail design, this innovation maintained the rigorous integrity of the building's structural logic: before the structure was closed, it remained as fragile as an eggshell, relying on dense scaffolding and temporary bracing for stability. Only upon the completion of the pour and the tensioning of the prestressing tendons did the structure achieve "closure". At that moment, every component instantaneously assumed its role—as if a power switch were flipped, the stress flow circulates and integrates throughout the interior, allowing the entire 'eggshell' to attain its structural rigidity. As the formwork and scaffolding were struck, the authentic texture of the fair-faced concrete began to flow across the undulating surfaces in the play of light and shadow, and the vitality of the architecture was finally revealed.

At the northeast and southwest corners of the building, large-scale cantilevers of 27 meters presented rigorous challenges regarding deformation. Due to the creep characteristics of concrete, the structure underwent a dynamic transition—from immediate deflection during the initial loading of roof soil to a gradual settlement that stabilized within a year. To control crack widths and meet the displacement limits of the curtain wall's top sleeves, two lattice steel columns were installed at the cantilever ends to bear vertical loads exclusively. For visual unity, these columns mirror the scale and composition of the curtain wall mullions, allowing the heterogeneous system to be visually concealed within the whole. Monitoring data confirms that the final settlement falls precisely within the design limits.

Except for the glass curtain walls and grass slopes, the building maximizes the exposure of its cast-in-place concrete texture across both interior and exterior surfaces, using only subtle detailing to differentiate spatial atmospheres. A translucent concrete sealer was applied to the Wave Pavilion's facades, peripheral shear walls, and cores. On the upper shell, dark grey protective coating uniformly covers the underside and MEP conduits, highlighting a "streamlined" ceiling formed by silver-white aluminum pipes. For the underside of the lower shell, an iridescent protective coating achieved through a multi-stage process leverages the reflections of the continuous curved surfaces to introduce dynamic light and shadow into the dimly lit "Vaulted Void."

Immersive Experience — The spatial operation scheme culminated in a final consensus after three successive iterations of multi-party refinement. The second floor is organized into three distinct realms: to the northeast lies the pivotal "Dark Zone," a fully enclosed 'black box' designed to anchor the deep sci-fi narrative of The Three-Body Problem; to the west, the 'Light Zone' faces Jinhai Lake, opening its expanse to public activities. While both the dark and light realms are curated and managed by Fengyuzhu, the southern sector remains a flexible spatial reserve, held in quiet anticipation for future exhibition possibilities.

The building's triple-layered wave shells establish a three-dimensional spatial field, offering a profoundly mysterious and dynamically shifting experience of enclosure and release for the grand sci-fi narrative and its manifold scenarios. The main entrance to this 'Three-Body Future Academy' is located beneath the cantilevered shell at the northeast corner. Moving from the "Green Hill"-wrapped glass curtain wall into the ground-floor lobby, one perceives a seamless extension between the interior and exterior landscapes. Entering the sand-strewn 'Dune-Void' or passing through the ovoid core, visitors ascend via escalators through a dark corridor—a 'wormhole leap' reminiscent of science fiction, marking the passage from reality into the depths of the Three-Body universe. Here, walking is wandering: planets at varying distances, the suspended Natural Selection starship, the Wall-facer Project, the Battle of Deep Space, the Doomsday Rover, and a dome theater are scattered beneath the vaults, inviting visitors to explore freely within this undulating dark space. Inside and outside the bowl-like 'Droplet Theater,' a horizontal ring-fissure pierces through the structure, offering an infinite horizon for the entire performance space. Beyond a threshold from the Dark Zone lies the world of the 'Light Zone': colossal celestial bodies, a 'sci-fi seed bank,' and two sunken areas for leisure and forums appear in succession, all linked by a ribbon-like open promenade. Facing the shimmering ripples of Jinhai Lake, the space evokes the sensation of being inside a starship landed on an alien world, peering out at the landscape of Earth.

Atop the triple-layered shells, a rolling meadow of grass and wildflowers creates a "Grassland upon the Waves." To balance structural load-optimization with panoramic needs, the roof circulation is confined to a fixed figure-eight loop, widening at strategic nodes for rest and observation. As grassy mounds and surrounding vistas alternate, visitors are immersed in an experience of measured ascent and boundless depth. Amidst these undulating layers, the "Wave Cube" is transformed into a cube of verdant wave by the lake.

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