Located at West Bund Central Phase II in Shanghai, the new SEED Pavilion serves as a primary landscape anchor for the Xuhui Waterfront. Designed by REAL Architects for Hongkong Land, this 230-square-meter structure marks a point of transition in a region that has evolved from an industrial shoreline into a continuous pedestrian culture spine.
The project takes its name from its location within a series of terraced landscapes. As the ground steps down, the pavilion sits at the geometric center. Architects David He and Naiji Jiao designed the structure to echo the nearby West Bund Orbit, creating a focal point that connects the area's historical agricultural roots to its modern commercial future.
The structural system consists of a hyperboloid grid shell made from 96 spiraling, intertwined Douglas fir glulam timber members. This dome reaches 12 meters in height and spans 17 meters without the need for internal vertical columns. The construction team used a system of wood screws and steel pins to join the glulam members, which feature chamfered edges to hide lighting conduits within recessed grooves.
Sustainability informed the building's technical design. The timber structure acts as a carbon-storing material, and the geometry supports natural ventilation. By using an open bottom grid combined with a top apex skylight, the building functions as a thermal chimney. This reduces the energy load for mechanical HVAC systems while maintaining internal comfort.
Inside, the space relies on natural light as its primary feature. The apex skylight allows sunlight to filter through the timber members, creating shifting rhombic patterns on the floor. At night, the pavilion functions as a lantern, with internal light diffusing outward through the timber frame. The project stands as a public vessel for the local community, bridging the site's industrial past with ongoing urban development.