Two Changning bridge underpass projects win top ASLA honor

Two landmark projects in Changning District—"Shanghai Super Tube" and "Changning Middle Ring Bridge Underpass Sports Park"—have been honored with the 2025 Award in Urban Design by the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA). 

Known as the "Oscars of Landscape Architecture," the ASLA Awards represent the highest global recognition in the field. Both winning projects were designed by the Shanghai-based firm FISH Design, marking the only entries in the category designed and executed by a Chinese team this year.

Shanghai Super Tube

Located at the intersection of Jiangsu Road N. and Wanhangdu Road, the Shanghai Super Tube forms a key part of the Suzhou Creek Under-Bridge Cultural and Leisure Belt. The design adopts a "pipeline + color" concept, transforming discarded industrial pipes into vibrant landscape features. 

Curved steel panels wrap the underpass space, while brightly colored steel tubes pay homage to Shanghai’s industrial heritage, including storage tanks and brewery barrels. Interactive elements such as local slang and graffiti contribute to the site’s popularity as a whimsical "Dreamcore Park."

Changning Middle Ring Bridge Underpass Sports Park

Situated in Beixinjing Subdistrict, where the Middle Ring Interchange meets Suzhou Creek, this project reimagines neglected underpass spaces through dopamine-inspired color schemes and animal-themed graffiti. The design effectively dispels the gloom often associated with such areas, while introducing functional facilities including basketball courts, soccer fields, and a skatepark. Not only does it meet the recreational needs of nearby residents, but it has also turned a once-overlooked "negative space" into a dynamic urban landmark.

A Broader Movement: Revitalizing Urban Leftover Spaces

In recent years, Changning District has been actively exploring innovative approaches to revitalize and manage underutilized spaces beneath bridges and overpasses. By creatively redesigning these urban "leftover corners"—adding sports facilities, public green spaces, rest areas, and municipal amenities—the district has improved both the efficiency of land use and the quality of public services available to residents. 

Other themed underpass projects, such as those on Kaixuan Road and Gubei Road, have adopted lemon and watermelon motifs, transforming areas into vibrant segments of "sweet" Suzhou Creek and earning widespread public acclaim.

Yangtze River Delta conference advances embodied AI collaboration

The 2025 Yangtze River Delta High-End Industry Innovation and Embodied Intelligence Development Conference was held at the Shanghai IBP International Conference Center on September 24, highlighting regional collaboration in intelligent manufacturing and next-generation AI technologies.

Changning District Director Liu Ping outlined the district’s strategy to build a global innovation hub for embodied intelligence robotics. With the “Digital Changning” initiative at its core and the Hongqiao International Open Hub as a pivotal platform, Changning aims to provide the “Changning Solution” to support high-quality development of embodied AI across the Yangtze River Delta and the whole country.

A key outcome of the conference was the establishment of the Yangtze River Delta Embodied Intelligence Industry Consortium, jointly initiated by the Shanghai Yangtze River Delta Intelligent Manufacturing Industry Promotion Center and Zhejiang Zhongjian Technology Co Ltd. The consortium will create shared resource pools for R&D projects, high-end talent, and application scenarios to foster cross-regional collaboration.

In parallel, China Mobile Shanghai partnered with relevant institutions to launch the Intelligent Manufacturing Supply-Side Alliance and a supply-demand matching platform. The alliance will integrate resources from enterprises, universities, research institutes, and solution providers to form an innovation ecosystem—from technology development to implementation and replication—enhancing regional intelligent manufacturing capabilities.

The conference also featured a “Face-to-Face with District Leadership” enterprise forum and two specialized matchmaking sessions. Executives from 14 companies across the Yangtze River Delta and overseas engaged directly with district leaders on issues including “barriers to real-world implementation,” “policy support needs,” and “gaps in industrial chain coordination,” with multiple concerns addressed on the spot.

Two closed-door sessions focused respectively on embodied intelligence robotics and “AI + manufacturing,” gathering representatives from over 30 leading firms for in-depth, practical discussions on collaboration and supply-demand matching.

Crystal Bridge gallery unveils a new vision for office life

The gallery of Crystal Bridge, a landmark commercial complex in Changning District, has been unveiled, offering an immersive preview of a future workplace where textured design, ecological principles, and efficient business seamlessly coexist.

Located at 688 Tianshan Road, Crystal Bridge is being developed by Tishman Speyer in partnership with New Changning Group and Mitsubishi Estate. The project is now in the final stages of completion. Its architecture was designed by world-renowned firm NBBJ, while interior and landscape design was led by Mitsubishi Jisho Design, and the gallery itself was crafted by global workplace design leader M Moser.

Situated on the 19th floor of Tower 1, the gallery frames dynamic views of the bustling Tianshan-Gubei business district through a signature diamond-faceted glass curtain wall.

Inside, flowing light and shadow echo the development’s distinctive “Light Loop” feature, while curvilinear forms respond to the sunken plaza at the heart of the site. Natural light pours into the space, thoughtfully drawing the energy of the outdoors inside.

Despite its premium urban location, Crystal Bridge dedicates 13,000 square meters of green space throughout the project. In the gallery, lush greenery is thoughtfully layered to evoke the tranquility of a “garden in the sky.”

Designed to LEED Gold standards, the nearly 250,000-square-meter transit-oriented development (TOD) connects five Grade-A office towers, curated retail, an open-air theater, and elevated gardens through a series of sky bridges, creating a one-of-a-kind garden-inspired business environment in the city center.

The Crystal Bridge gallery will remain open as a permanent tenant service center, providing tailored support and value-added services to future occupants.

Changning debuts dazzling light installations for Shanghai International Light Festival

The Changning branch of the second Shanghai International Light Festival opened at Livat Shanghai on the evening of September 26. 

Featuring eight light installations and two main visual shows, the event merges creative lighting with urban space to offer both domestic and international visitors a fully immersive visual and auditory experience.

Three standout shows exemplify the seamless fusion of visual art and cultural themes. “Aurora Invitation,” located at Gate 2 and Gate 5 in the basement, draws inspiration from Stockholm’s natural landscape. Using the building’s ceiling and pillars to create a three-dimensional scene, the installation intertwines flowing auroras and shimmering constellations to evoke the symbolic “Tree of Life.”

At the Nordic-style square on the 4th floor, “Twin Flowers•Gorgeous Dreamscape” carries deeper cultural meaning. Magnolia and tulip motifs are transformed into artistic installations, while projections blend Stockholm’s icy mountains with the poetic scenery of Jiangnan water towns.

Other light installations also combine aesthetic appeal with functional design, each offering unique interactive or viewing opportunities.

Organized around a “one core, two corridors, three circles” layout, the festival extends beyond Livat Shanghai. The Yan’an Elevated Road and Suzhou Creek corridors, together with three key areas—the Hengfu Historical Conservation Zone, Zhongshan Park Business District, and Hongqiao-Gubei Area—will also feature elegant yet vibrant nighttime scenery through projections on public spaces and landmark buildings.

 Event Details 

Venue: Livat Shanghai 

Dates: September 26 – October 2

Time: 7:30pm – 10pm nightly

Livat Shanghai marks first anniversary with dazzling light and new offerings

Livat Shanghai marked its first anniversary with the kickoff of its “1 Year, Let’s Hej! Together!” campaign, drawing large crowds for festivities running through October 8.

Coinciding with the celebrations, the mall launched its role as a main exhibition zone for the Changning branch of the second Shanghai International Light Festival. Throughout the event, Livat Shanghai is presenting eight light art installations, using light as a visual language and shadow as a medium to create inspiring lifestyle scenes that blend technology, art, and cross-cultural themes.

A standout feature is the Shanghai debut of wonderfrogs—an interactive exhibition in the Mountain Atrium on the first floor, where five larger-than-life frog characters invite visitors into a whimsical world of imagination.

The new shopping season draws inspiration from traditional Nordic weaving, creating a tactile and engaging offline gathering space. Shoppers can also enjoy member benefits including a stamp collection challenge and exclusive shopping offers.

Additional activities such as mascot parades, autumn wellness sessions, and a travel fund giveaway, organized in partnership with Trip.com, will be rolled out throughout the celebration period.

On the office side, since its opening, Livat Shanghai office has attracted multiple multinational corporations setting up their Chinese or regional headquarters, as well as leading domestic companies. The recent opening of Hej! Workshop, a new shared office space on the third floor of Tower E, further enriches the mixed-use ecosystem of what Livat brands as a “Meeting Experience Center.”

By integrating retail, workspace, and lifestyle offerings, Livat Shanghai is steadily strengthening its role as a key platform driving high-quality development in the Greater Hongqiao area, continuously infusing fresh energy into the district’s upgrade.