a shopping sandwich
Jiangyin’s post 1960s urbanism consists of swathes of high density gated communities mixed with industrial sites. There has been little provision for a public life beyond the bare necessities. The advent of consumerism brings with it the opportunity for developments to include public space and programs. However, the new shopping malls inevitably provide only quasi-public realms, which disenfranchise those without spending power. This project attempts to answer the question: Can the shopping mall become a truly public place in the city?
If the shopping centre is raised in the air, a vast sheltered plaza can be created. The ground floor realm can be devoted to highly public activities and events such as: winter ice skating, summer water play, and performing arts. These can be supported by a multitude of small scale commercial buildings, thus avoiding both the danger of lifeless streets and the stifling dominance of the big box street front.
The enormous shopping centre roof provides a second ground floor, with leisure and service programs supporting both city visitors, and the hotel and office tower users.