△ Interior rendering of Shanghai Sci Tech Innovation Source © FTA
Shanghai Sci Tech Innovation Source is situated in a unique location that embodies a rich historical legacy while fostering future innovation. The project aims to rejuvenate the area by inheriting a century’s worth of scientific and technological enlightenment and accommodating today’s cutting-edge technology industries.
FTA consistently strives to design innovative, efficient, and healthy built environments. For the Shanghai Sci Tech Innovation Source project, the team is pursuing the highest level of WELL Health Building Certification, creating a vibrant and inspiring space that encourages creativity and well-being.
△ Rendering of Shanghai Sci Tech Innovation Tower © FTA
01. The Source of Modern Science and Technology Innovation
The project site is located in the heart of the 1929 “Greater Shanghai Plan,” a significant initiative that introduced Western urban planning concepts independently to Shanghai.
The neighborhoods at 334 and 336 Changhai Road Street are the only remaining historic residential and research buildings from this plan, representing an important cluster of research-oriented residential architecture.
Within the project area lie two historically protected buildings: 274 Minjing Road, a key preserved site of the Chinese Society of Engineers symbolizing the origins of modern science and engineering innovation in China; and 200 Minjing Road, which exemplifies the transition from traditional to modern Chinese architectural design. As part of the Shanghai Science and Technology Innovation Source development, these two heritage buildings will be restored and revitalized, bridging their century-long legacy with today’s advanced industries.
△ Map of the “Greater Shanghai Plan” historic research and cultural area; areas 8 and 9 mark the project site. Source: virtualishanghai.net
02. Urban Empowerment: Bridging Technology and Culture
Located in Changhai Road Street, Yangpu District, the Shanghai Science and Technology Innovation Source project extends east to Guojing Road, west to Zhayin Road, south to Plot 014-02, and north to Yingao East Road. The development consists of two heritage buildings and seven new structures, totaling approximately 146,000 square meters. It integrates office spaces, commercial, cultural, and sports facilities alongside industrial communities.
The project’s vision is to establish a “science and technology innovation ecosystem” that balances strength with flexibility. It aims to set a model for urban renewal that honors cultural heritage while fostering a sustainable, innovative digital industry headquarters community. This approach embodies the spirit of “technology on one side, humanities on the other,” linking past and future.
△ Project location highlighting multiple overlapping urban nodes © FTA
In planning and design, the project employs the concept of “leading the garden through the street,” using culture as a pivot and urban space as a guide. It connects the commercial hub of Wujiaochang with the three-dimensional office district of Sanmen Road. Positioned at the northern gateway of the “Great Creative Intelligence Universe,” it forms a distinctive “cultural corridor” that empowers the city holistically.
△ Aerial view of Shanghai Sci Tech Innovation Source © FTA
03. A 24/7 Vibrant Science and Technology Innovation Community
Shanghai Science and Technology Innovation Source will offer round-the-clock facilities and services, creating a continuous platform for entrepreneurs, researchers, and students to collaborate and inspire each other. This design fosters an environment where creativity thrives, infusing ongoing vitality into the innovation community.
△ Analysis Chart – 24 Hours of Vibrant Innovation Universe © FTA
The spatial design breaks away from traditional isolated office environments, fostering a more inclusive, diverse, and interconnected vertical community. For example, the aerial lobby on floors 8-9 can be flexibly divided to accommodate two separate companies, with the upper half serving as a secondary lobby, enhancing the space’s versatility. This area can also function as a headquarters energy center, hosting new product launches, high-end exhibitions, training sessions, corporate events, and informal employee gatherings.
FTA prioritizes the creation of spaces that stimulate creativity and cognitive growth, offering an environment where inspiration flourishes. The Shanghai Science and Technology Innovation Source Cultural Center, as the creative hub of the project, will ignite imagination and innovation, providing an ideal workplace for collaboration and idea exchange among colleagues, partners, and friends.
△ Landscape rendering of the park © FTA
04. Architecture Bridging Past and Future
The building’s horizontal and streamlined form reflects the Shanghai modern vertical line (Streamline Moderne) and Bauhaus styles found in the surrounding historic buildings, while also embodying the project’s futuristic vision. Rounded corners pay homage to this architectural heritage while offering a more welcoming and scientifically considerate spatial design that softens movement paths.
△ Street rendering © FTA
△ Model photo © FTA
The building’s color palette harmonizes with the warm tones of the Yangpu area’s urban scheme. This subtle warmth shifts with natural light throughout the day, adding refined brilliance to the pentagonal field’s entrance. The new structures complement the historic architectural style of Jiangwan, creating a seamless transition from past to future.
From history to future, this design concept invites users to engage with time itself. It guides visitors through historical experiences while inspiring them to shape the future. The project acts like a pulse coursing through the universe, resonating with users’ passion and continuously fostering creativity.
△ Terrace scene rendering © FTA
△ Winter snow courtyard effect rendering © FTA
05. Healthy and Green Digital Community
Green, ecological, and lively outdoor spaces are vital for the park’s quality of life. The landscaping continues the “one side technology, one side culture” planning concept, creating an ecological core filled with lush plants and water features that blend new and historic architecture naturally.
The design includes diverse activity areas such as memorial plazas, Shanghai-style gardens, Qushui courtyards, flowing cloud corridors, and art exhibition lawns. These spaces are thoughtfully planned to meet the evolving needs of the science and technology innovation community, fostering the integration of cultural districts and technological innovation zones.
△ Garden rendering within the park © FTA
In the Qushui courtyard, the design cleverly incorporates a bar counter and outdoor theater utilizing the site’s elevation changes. Visitors can enjoy views of historic buildings by the water or engage with street performances in the theater. Regular small-scale events and community sharing sessions can be held here, enriching the park’s cultural atmosphere.
△ First-floor commercial outdoor space rendering © FTA
The outdoor area adjacent to the first-floor commercial zone features a high-tech leisure corridor. On weekdays, it serves as an open-air dining and meeting space, while also functioning as an extension for exhibition halls and creative businesses. During festivals, themed markets enliven the square, fostering communication among office workers across different floors.
A technology-driven landscape system, designed around operational scenarios, continually stimulates park vitality and enhances the corporate brand image.
△ First-floor commercial outdoor space rendering © FTA
Looking ahead, Shanghai Kechuang Yuan will be developed to meet the highest WELL Health Building Certification standards. Known as the “Oscar of the construction industry,” the WELL system prioritizes human health and well-being by evaluating, certifying, and monitoring building environmental factors such as air quality, water, nutrition, lighting, health, and comfort.
△ WELL Health Building Standard © FTA
06. Conclusion
Shanghai Sci Tech Innovation Source will serve as a benchmark for a science and technology innovation community that integrates historical heritage, global perspectives, design innovation, and commercial value. FTA’s expertise and brand influence in industrial design and innovation zones provide a design-driven branding solution for this project.
The design team is dedicated to inspiring innovation and advancing technological progress through integrated design. Their commitment is to create an innovation center that honors its historical roots while leading into the future. By blending a century of scientific and technological heritage with modern industries, the project is poised to become a dynamic and creative innovation hub.
△ Landscape rendering of the park © FTA
Design Drawings
△ General layout plan © FTA
△ First floor plan © FTA
△ East facade © FTA
△ South plot profile map © FTA
△ Model photo © FTA
Project Information
Project Name: Shanghai Sci Tech Innovation Source
Client: Shanghai Yangpu Science and Technology Innovation Group
Location: Blocks 334 and 336, Changhai Road Street, Yangpu District, Shanghai
Land Area: 31,862 square meters
Building Area: 146,060 square meters
Design Team: FTA Architectural Design
Status: Under construction
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