The Breeze Hall | SHISUO

“The Breeze Hall is regarded as a sanctuary that carries the collective memory of the city. It not only has a stunning, breath-taking, and oversized ritual space but is also filled with details and materials that are human-scaled. ”

Sanif

***

Between the sacred and the mundane: Breeze Hall

 The Breeze Hall used to be a patch of woods on the south side of the Lu Xun Memorial Museum, which was fenced off and designated as a dead corner during urban development. In 2023, SHISUO won this biding to redesign the site，including landscape、architecture as well as its interior part.

It is regarded as a sanctuary that carries the collective memory of the city. The main building consists of a wing-like steel structure and a landscape-like base. With the I-beams(only 100*150mm) support an open space of 42m in length, 15m in span, and 12m in height, addressing the needs for cultural activities, exhibitions, and gatherings.

It not only has a stunning, breath-taking, and hyper-sized space but also filled with details and materials that are human-scaled. The low eaves intentionally channel rainwater into a pool for collection, relying as little as possible on artificial supply; the double-layer perforated panels utilize the roof shape to achieve wind extraction, while the gaps left at the ridge interact with the evaporation of the pool, creating a local microclimate with gentle breezes. Inside the second-floor platform, the beige plaster has a soft touch, imparting a skin-like texture to the space. The handrails of the ribbon windows transform into arcs, making it easier for palms to rest, allowing for longer stay. Throughout the space, the tectonic details are clearly showcased to make the architecture itself detailed in human scale instead of using excessive ornaments.

In just six months since its opening, the Breeze Hall has become a generator of public activities, hosting a series of socially impactful cultural events.Through these public events, the Breeze Hall garnered over 30 million views on social media, becoming a new cultural landmark in Shanghai.

Buildings will eventually disappear, but their meaning points to the eternal. Every day at sunset, when the sun filters through the branches to illuminate the Breeze Hall, enchanting light and shadow dance across its solid and enduring triangular facade. In those fleeting moments, it comforts those who are heading home. The sacred and the mundane, seemingly completely different realms, are where human life always unfolds—constantly shifting between the two, we are able to reach the new sublime.

Credits
Architecture Firm:  SHISUO Design Office

Lead Architects: Sanif, Changshan

Design Team: Lin Zihan, Zhang Han

Structure Consultant：iStructure- Yang Xiaotian、Wu Kunying

Lighting Consultant：ADA lighting consultant- Hung Shenglin、Liu Jingyi

Landscape Consultant: Jian Ding Landscape Design-Jin Yinyin

Photography: Ye Jianyuan, Lv Xiaobin, Zhu Runzi, Sanif, Xiao Xiao, DONG Image

Video: Zhu Runzi

Brands

Plaster (Oxygen-Containing Ecological Wall Material)

Self-Leveling Cement (CEMIMAX Technology Co., Ltd.)