Wall Maze is a street-facing facade renovation by XING DESIGN for Vi PARK Huayi Wan Chuang Xin. The site was formerly the Shanghai Greater China Chint Rubber Factory, located at 1391 Humin Road in Minhang District, Shanghai, close to Jianchuan Road Station on Metro Line 5. In 2019, Huayi Chemical Industry, Shanghai Vanke, and Minhang Nongsheng partnered to transform the area into a comprehensive office park.
Our design introduces a ‘maze’ on the facade, creatively linking several office terraces. This approach disrupts the typical order of office floor partitions and fosters new social interactions.
Imagine a space where during work breaks, you can stroll onto the office terrace and strike up a conversation with colleagues from neighboring companies. The undulating maze path weaves through lush greenery, offering views of the opposite forest, adjacent terraces, and the distant cityscape.
If you want to extend your leisurely lunch break, you now have a perfect excuse: “Boss, I just got lost in the maze on the wall.”
The concept of socializing on the wall draws inspiration from fire escape parties in New York. Anyone familiar with the movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s will recall Audrey Hepburn singing “Moon River” on a fire escape. Our maze community not only facilitates evacuation and circulation through the walls but also offers engaging and playful experiences.
Nearly half of the pathway is concealed behind the wall, so from the outside, the platform appears fragmented, creating a maze-like effect we call the “Wall Maze.” To preserve the original structure as much as possible, we added a layer of perforated aluminum panels. These also allow for future growth of climbing vines or planter installations.
The factory building adjacent to the maze wall faces a plaza, serving as a street-facing display area and an ideal spot for events. We designed multiple balconies aligned with the window placements; their baffles form the company’s brand logo. The facade appears lifted, featuring a large canopy that defines the gray space for plaza activities. This design pays homage to the original factory facade.
We aim for facade renovations not only to redefine the building’s appearance innovatively but also to create new functional possibilities for the space.
Project Drawings
△ Maze Wall Renovation Process
△ Facade Renovation Process
△ Elevation Drawing
Enlarged view of partial facade aluminum panels; detailed drawing of vertical circular perforated panels.
Project Information
Architectural Design: Xingzhi Architectural Design Firm
Area: 5,000 m²
Project Year: 2021
Manufacturer: Shanghai Fengsheng Building Decoration Engineering Co., Ltd
Lead Architect: Xiong Xing
Design Team: Chen Mo, Du Jiaxi, Lei Sheng, Guo Lei
Owner: Shanghai Vanke
Landscape Design: Size Landscape
Partner: Shanghai Shuishi Architectural Planning and Design Co., Ltd
Location: Shanghai, China
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