ONE MUSIC DREAM | ON DESIGN STUDIO

Built in 1939, this steel-frame, four-story building, set in a crowded area in the outskirt of Shanghai, served as the long-time home to one of city oldest environmental department. After the former tenant moved out in 2008, the building remained vacant for several years until OMD Corporation acquired the building in 2015 and redeveloped the structure into a mixed use complex to revive the entire residential neighbor.

After being without maintenance for many years, the existing building was heavily damaged and in a poor state. The property had sustained considerable water leak during the vacancy with a consequent state of dereliction. Due to its location, strong sun and driving rain, most of the exterior and interior finishes had been badly damaged, with particular deterioration of the facade that required urgent replacement.

The main aim of the reconstruction project was to bring this unique property back to life and to create a bridge between past and present of the area, enabling visitors to appreciate the history and local atmosphere, while providing a beautiful environment to explore its vast range of activities.

Before any scheme or design had been drafted, the first task was to evaluate the state of the main structure and instructing preliminary repairs for the damaged beams of the facade to prevent the entire building to collapse. During this process of demolition and maintenance the building remained "naked" with only the bare structure of columns and beams to stand along with the floors slab.

Once this phase had been completed the creative team evaluated the available space to establish the type and quantity of facilities that would suit best the size and location of the building.

One of the crucial point during this phase was the critical observation and research of local cultures and various ways of living, in order to understand the area's socio-economic condition and heritage, which represents the primary source that inform the design of architecture and interior space. Understanding the existing social and architectural context was a pivotal moment of the project that intended to "renew" the urban fabric and to reinvigorate urban life.

The final result was the creation of a mixed use complex that house different functions on each of the four levels. On the ground floor a generous public area enriched by shops and a restaurant with live music performance, creates the perfect gathering point for people to enter in contact with the building new identity. On the first floor a more private area was settle, with a spacious recording room and numerous flexible spaces related to the music school, while on the upper level several offices owned by different companies gives an additional value to the already rich functional layout. On the top level a residential area with ten private contemporary apartments provides shelter where to live for the students while attending the music school.

By maintaining the existing basic structure of the building, a linear and clean facade based on a regular grid was designed with natural materials. The combination of natural and transparent materials for the main elevation, such us natural stone and glass, leads to a general feeling of lightness and purity that reflects the neighbor environment and recall the previous design of the property. The massive use of glass provides an additional element of connection with the context by increasing the visual sight from the main street as well as helping natural light to pass through the building, which leads to a consequent remarkable cut of the electricity costs and it finalizes the transformation of the building from an old office to a renewed and sustainable concept.

One Music Dream is a place where culture, leisure and education smoothly blends together to create a new experience as well as a new landmark for the entire community while bridging a connection with the history and heritage of the area.