China’s grim (and growing) air pollution problems cast some pretty dark shadows on the country’s urban hubs, which often look like they’ve been photographed using a “muddy water” filter. That makes these crisp and sunny pics of the Huaxin Business Center in Shanghai’s Xuhui District all the more surprising.
The stilted, four-building complex, designed by Scenic Architecture, appears to hover above the ground-level atrium in a grove of camphor trees, which poke through the interior walls and adjoin small bridges that interconnect the larger maze of light-filled spaces.
The firm was (obviously) inspired to create an organic connection with the refreshingly green surrounds, using mirrors, glass, and a unique twisting facade to create shadows that mimic branches and leaves. Here’s hoping they get enough bright, clear afternoons to enjoy it. [Domus]
Pictures: Su Shengliang