Breeze Auditorium
SHISUO Design Office
Project Name: Breeze Auditorium
Location: Hongkou District, Shanghai, China
Design Team: SHISUO Design Office
Building Area: 680 m²
Completion: 2024
Photographers: Zhu Runzi, Lv Xiaobin, DONG Architecture Photography, Sa Nifu, Ye Jianyuan
Feature:
Project - Nestled within Shanghai's historic Lu Xun Park, the Breeze Auditorium by SHISUO Design emerges as a masterful synthesis of contemporary architecture and natural harmony. This 680-square-meter pavilion transforms a formerly forgotten corner of the park into a luminous sanctuary that serves both as a ceremonial space and a vital public amenity.
The structure's most striking feature is its wing-like steel framework that appears to float above a landscaped base. The architects achieved remarkable structural efficiency using slender I-beam columns—measuring just 100x150mm—to support an impressive span of 42 meters in length, 15 meters in width, and 12 meters in height. This engineering feat is enhanced by a sophisticated double-layer perforated roof system that acts as an environmental filter, creating subtly different atmospheric conditions depending on the weather.
The project's success lies in its response to two critical challenges: achieving high-quality construction within budget and time constraints, while creating a landmark spiritual architecture that harmonizes with its surroundings. The solution manifests in the building's dual nature—a soaring ceremonial space above and a topographic plinth below that seamlessly integrates with the landscape through a series of steps, viewing platforms, and water features.
The careful choreography of approach is particularly noteworthy. Visitors traverse ancient stone steps and bamboo groves before encountering the hall's presence, creating a processional experience that gradually separates them from the urban bustle. This journey culminates in a dramatic main space that serves as a blank canvas for various public events, from weddings to exhibitions.
Environmental sensitivity is evident throughout the design. The low eaves filter noise from nearby commercial streets, while the building's form facilitates natural ventilation through stack effect, creating a microclimate of gentle breezes even during Shanghai's humid summers. The water pool, deliberately left untreated, has become a sanctuary for local wildlife, transforming the structure into an unexpected urban ecosystem.
In its first six months, Breeze Auditorium has already established itself as a cultural catalyst, hosting events ranging from flower markets to international fashion shows, accumulating over 30 million social media impressions. Through its thoughtful integration of ceremonial grandeur and human-scale details, the project represents a new typology of public architecture—one that celebrates both the extraordinary moments and the quiet daily rhythms of urban life.
Design Team - SHISUO Design Office, established in 2023 in Shanghai, represents a new wave of contemporary Chinese architectural practice that bridges phenomenological sensitivity with tectonic innovation. Founded by architects Sa Nifu and Chang Shan, the studio has rapidly emerged as a significant voice in Asia's architectural landscape, gaining international recognition for their nuanced approach to materiality and spatial narrative.
The firm's design philosophy is anchored in what they term "authentic tectonics" - a methodology that emphasizes the honest expression of construction logic while maintaining deep respect for genius loci. Their portfolio, though young, demonstrates remarkable versatility across scales, from urban planning to interior detailing, embracing the modernist ideal of total design "from city to spoon."
Under the leadership of Sa Nifu and Chang Shan, SHISUO has developed a distinctive design language that synthesizes phenomenological experience with constructional clarity. Their work has garnered attention from prestigious international publications including Wallpaper*, Dezeen, and ArchDaily, establishing them as a emerging force in contemporary architectural discourse.
The practice's commitment to material authenticity and spatial poetry is evident in projects like the Breeze Auditorium (2024), where structural expressionism meets contemplative space-making. This approach has positioned SHISUO at the forefront of a new generation of Chinese architects who are redefining the relationship between traditional spatial concepts and contemporary architectural expression.
680 m²
Shanghai, China
2024