benedetta tagliabue EMBT’s square renewal in in shanghai
In the heart of Shanghai, along the most iconic pedestrian corridor of the city, Benedetta Tagliabue – EMBT completes the renewal of Century Square on East Nanjing Road (find designboom’s previous coverage here). The architects reimagine this civic and commercial landmark as an ecological and interactive public space, anchored by a central kaleidoscopic structure that reframes the cityscape. Long associated with large-scale events and luminous commercial displays, the square operates as a green urban living room that links People’s Square to The Bund, a protected historical district, while foregrounding climate responsiveness and public life.
The project draws on the literal meaning of Shanghai, ‘upon the sea,’ translating this origin into spatial and material metaphors. The design imagines the square as a shell opening to reveal a pearl, the central Kaleidoscope, which reflects and reframes fragments of the city like shifting water surfaces. Underfoot, a new paving pattern evokes an undersea world. By night, integrated lighting transforms the ground into a glittering field, reinforcing the maritime narrative while maintaining the historic association of the square with luminous display.
all images by Runzi Zhu
maintaining spectacle, expanding use
Century Square has always occupied a strategic position in Shanghai’s urban sequence, acting as a hinge between major civic and waterfront destinations. Historically characterized by night lights, shows, and commercial presentations, the site demanded a redesign that could maintain its performative identity while broadening its social and environmental role. The proposal by the team at EMBT retains the capacity of the square for spectacle but shifts its emphasis toward flexibility and daily use.
Event zones, exhibition areas, and generous public seating coexist within a more permeable landscape. The space is conceived to accommodate large gatherings as well as moments of pause, extending its relevance beyond programmed events into the rhythms of everyday urban life.
Benedetta Tagliabue – EMBT completes the renewal of Century Square on East Nanjing Road
the kaleidoscope as environmental device
Beyond its visual impact, the Kaleidoscope incorporates advanced ecological systems that filter air and contribute to microclimate regulation, positioning the architectural centerpiece as both symbolic and performative. The renewal introduces substantial green areas into what was previously a predominantly hard-surfaced urban plaza. Vegetated gradients, shadow roofs, and rain protection elements buffer the open space from surrounding high-rise buildings, softening the edge conditions and mitigating heat. This strategy aligns the transformation of the square with broader ecological awareness in dense city centers, where open public ground must increasingly balance social intensity with environmental responsibility.
Lights and audiovisual systems continue to support performances and seasonal programming, yet they now operate within a greener and more climate-conscious framework. In one of Shanghai’s most trafficked corridors, EMBT’s intervention reframes the square as a cultural and ecological landmark.
the square operates as a green urban living room that links People’s Square to The Bund
the design imagines the square as a shell opening to reveal a pearl
Integrated lighting transforms the ground into a glittering field
maintaining the historic association of the square with luminous display
the Kaleidoscope incorporates advanced ecological systems that filter air and contribute to microclimate regulation
project info:
name: Renewal of Century Square in East Nanjing Road
architect: team | @embtarchitects
location: Shanghai, China
client: New World Group
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