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The idea emerged from a desire to reconnect the dense urban center of Shanghai with nature and memory. We began by reflecting on the meaning of "Shanghai", “upon the sea” and developed a concept rooted in this identity. Inspired by the sea’s fluidity and richness, we imagined the square as a shell opening to reveal its pearl: a kaleidoscope. From this metaphor, we designed a multifunctional urban living room that responds to environmental, cultural, and social needs. The concept evolved through dialogue with local context, heritage, and users.
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Century Square is located in one of Shanghai’s busiest commercial streets. Our aim was to dissolve its isolation and reweave it into the urban fabric. We opened the square toward Nanjing Road, softened its edges with green transitions, and introduced topography to connect with adjacent buildings. The design brings fluidity and permeability, allowing movement and views across the square. It dialogues with the city’s verticality through layered green terraces and responds to heritage façades with a respectful yet contemporary language that frames them anew.
Sustainability was at the core of the project. We introduced green roofs, climbing plants, and shaded areas to reduce the urban heat island effect and improve air quality. The kaleidoscope includes air-filtering systems that “breathe” during events and hot periods. Natural materials like wood were used for the benches and terraces. The square’s lighting system is energy-efficient and sensor-based. The project was awarded First Prize in the international competition for the renewal of Century Square in 2020, selected over major international firms.
The renewal of Century Square transforms a disconnected urban void into a vibrant public heart for Shanghai’s East Nanjing Road. The design draws from the city’s maritime identity, shaping the square like a shell that opens to reveal a central kaleidoscope structure, the “pearl.” This multifunctional building reflects the surroundings like water, and hosts exhibitions, events, and interactive experiences. The square blends nature and culture, with green hills, trees, and wooden terraces that offer comfort and shade, creating an “urban living room” for both everyday use and major events. Its topography invites people to explore and inhabit the space from different levels and perspectives. One of its most innovative features is the breathing kaleidoscope, a dynamic air-purifying device that reacts to climatic conditions and crowd density. The square’s surfaces, inspired by the seabed, come alive at night with projections and lighting, evoking the beauty of the ocean. This is not only a place to pass through, but a destination. The project balances ecological strategies, cultural continuity, and flexible programming to create a space that is both symbolic and usable, a contemporary civic square rooted in Shanghai’s past and looking toward its future.
We wanted a space that reconnected people with the city, with nature, and with each other. Our expectations it’s a landmark that feels both iconic and humane. It brings joy, culture, and vitality to the heart of East Nanjing Road. A true transformation.
Miralles Tagliabue EMBT, founded in Barcelona in 1994 by Enric Miralles and Benedetta Tagliabue, is an internationally renowned architecture studio celebrated for its creative synthesis of tradition and innovation. EMBT designs thoughtful, poetic, and context-sensitive projects globally, including significant public and educational buildings across Europe and Asia. With offices in Barcelona, Shanghai, and Paris, EMBT emphasizes collaborative processes and creates architecture that enriches urban experiences, respecting cultural heritage while delivering functional, imaginative solutions.
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