The wave-like ceiling “beat” onto the columns, rhythmically forming a pulsating arcade, while the curvature of the wave tips echoes the Chinese eaves of the City God Temple and multiple other cultural elements. If one thinks of the subway as the arteries of the city, then at this deepest station in Shanghai, it is as if you can feel the city’s pulse. The ceiling system is combined with lighting to form a large three-dimensional LED canopy that can present a variety of light effects. It is able to present different lighting performances for different holiday events, such as China Red for National Day and the Spring Festival, pink for Valentine’s Day, and so on.
Yuyuan Station is located in Huangpu District. This area is a cultural landmark in Shanghai known for its urban scenery, as it combines elements of the East and West in historical and contemporary styles. The station is adjacent to the historic City God Temple and the Bund. Thus, it serves not only as a node for Metro Lines 10 and 14 but also as a gateway for many urban tours. As a result, the choice of elements presented in the station is a crucial design issue. Furthermore, Yuyuan Station is the deepest subway station in Shanghai, and the walls, columns, and floor layers, must follow strict civil engineering codes. Organizing the mechanical and electrical systems while ensuring sufficient height for the station's terminal presented another significant challenge to the design team.
The design shape of Yuyuan Station accommodates track splitting and merging, and the distribution of ceiling pipes in the station’s main hall is not homogeneous. Therefore, the curved units cannot simply be repeated. Parametric design technology was adopted to generate forms and optimize the number of non-standard units, in order to control the cost of mass production and installation. The wave-like ceiling is made up of tens of thousands of aluminum panels, cut, bent, and spliced, which visualizes the Huangpu River.
Since its opening in 2022, Yuyuan Station has received great praise and support from the general public and has been widely reported on by various official and self-media outlets. Its design goes beyond interior design, making the station more like a piece of public art than a simple transportation outlet. The curved ceiling is designed and fabricated with parametric technology, and combined with an LED system to create an immersive art experience. Moreover, the lighting system is open, and the public is encouraged to submit color schemes and art forms to shape the urban public space together.
Parametric design and BIM technology are adapted in the design to fuse together the platform’s ceiling and pillars. The “pulsating” arcade and ceiling are optimized with lighting to form a three-dimensional LED canopy that can present various light effects for different holidays and events. The public can also submit color schemes for the rippled and sparkling canopy, adding soul and creativity to the station.
Founded by Xing Xiong in 2016, XING DESIGN is a vanguard design studio committed to architecture and interior design, urban planning and development, landscape, infographic, installation, innovative technologies, and development of digital/physical products. By investigating the creative design issues in multiple disciplines, a design-based approach is the key not only for smart solutions, but also to uncover latent needs and desires, thereby sustaining innovation to launch new ventures.