Expo Cultural Park Greenhouse: towards a more sustainable future

Recognizing nature as an essential element of the human environment is the key principle behind the Expo Cultural Park Greenhouse, a large zero-energy recreation space near downtown Shanghai, designed by Delugan Meissl Associated Architects | DMAA.

Over the years, the studio has developed impressive technical and cultural expertise in greenhouse design, winning the design competition for this project in 2018.

Originally housing a coal-fired power plant and steelworks, the site was repurposed to host Expo 2010. DMAA has now converted its steel structure into a geometric superstructure with organically designed pavilions.

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The Greenhouse’s dual pairing of industry and nature, innovation and tradition, is of huge importance to Shanghai, which is engaged in a major transition to a more sustainable future.

The municipal government’s decision to transform such a large plot of land into a high-quality recreation facility is indicative of its growing focus on bringing greenery to the heart of Shanghai, one of the world’s most vibrant and populous cities, with 23 million people and a subtropical climate.

Expo Cultural Park has become a symbol of a new way of conceiving urban space. And this ambitious project focuses in particular on making the greenhouse zero-energy, while also highlighting the key issue of reuse.

Using single glazing made it possible to optimize energy savings, with heat loss more than compensated for by the artificial lighting required by the plants. Operable windows in the perforated roof provide natural ventilation and passive cooling, creating optimal environments for the different biomes.

Next to the pavilions, a pool not only has a cooling effect but also acts as an additional energy source for the greenhouse.

With a sandy, rock-strewn landscape and drought-resistant plants, the first pavilion recreates the dry climate typical of a desert, while also embodying the idea of architecture created for arid climes. In contrast, the second pavilion houses tropical rainforest vegetation, while the last pavilion, with its vertical flower gardens, provides space for touring exhibitions

A terrace above the pavilions offers views of both the park and the surrounding urban fabric.

By exploring the network of pathways inside and between the pavilions, visitors move through each space and each biome in a themed encounter with nature. Glass balustrades reveal the presence of the visitors, while gentle slopes speed up or slow down their progress.

Although the variation in water balances between the desert and tropical biomes is based on nature, it also has global political relevance in terms of the future availability of water in the face of climate change. The organically undulating façade thus reflects the internal organization of the structure and symbolizes an open debate on the relationship between people and nature.

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