Paint Drop | 100architects

Paint Drop is a creative public space intervention designed to create a visual link between the main plaza and a newly open retail space, to firstly make the new space noticeable, and secondly attract customers dragging them through a color splash corridor.

Life Hub @ Daning, a 250,000 sqm mixed use development with 110,000 sqm shopping mall, is one of the hottest commercial areas in Shanghai, due to its condition of open-air retail street.

As the installation was intended to call the attention of pedestrians and drag them to the desired area, it had to be both, eye-catching & permeable allowing pedestrian circulation through it.

To comply with both requests, a tunnel of splashing color paint was proposed as theme.

The solution consisted on a system of 8 catenary arches linked to each other spreading along the intended path, rendered as paint dropping on the floor from above. As the paint arches reach the floor, a splash of color occur, leaving a functional trace in the form of seating features and resting areas accompanied by immersive floor graphics to enhance the experience.

The 8 arches from the colorful tunnel were equipped with an interactive lighting system. Movement sensors were placed at the bases of the arches, which would activate flexible LED strips of light embedded in the arches every time a person would pass by.

During the summer period, the vortex of color became one of the hotspots of Life Hub @ Daning’s open-air retail street, gathering kids and adults alike, and successfully increasing the pedestrian circulation at the desired spot.

Project name: Paint Drop

Designer: 100architects

Design team: Marcial Jesus, Javier Gonzalez, Anshuman Roy

Production: Hong Yang Advertising

Client: Life Hub @ Daning, (Chongbang Group)

Location: Daning Road, Jin’An District, Shanghai, China

Built area: 350 m2

Completion: June  2018

Photographer: Amey Kandalgaonkar