China

Shanghai, a global metropolis and economic hub

Sitting on the estuary of the famed Yangzi River, the city of Shanghai is one of the world’s largest metropolises, totalling some 24 million inhabitants. Located on the Western coast of the country, it is a major hub of international maritime trade, and the main economic and financial centre of contemporary China.

As a world-class destination for art and culture, the city was chosen to host the 2010 World Expo with the theme ‘Better City, Better Life’. The event attracted more visitors than any other World Expo before or since. After its close, the area where the event was held — a former industrial brownfield — and some of the pavilions were converted into a complex of public parks, museums and cultural centres. The district now includes various expanses of greenery, offering a peaceful natural setting in the heart of the bustling city. And in 2024, the Expo Park welcomed a new, state-of-the-art botanical garden.

Greenhouse garden debuts at Shanghai Expo Culture Park 

After 4 years of work, Greenhouse Garden finally opened at the Shanghai Expo Culture Park. Built on the location of an abandoned steelworks factory spanning a total of 40,000 sqm, the new institution includes five large themed greenhouses home to different families of desert and tropical plants, as well as hundreds of varieties of flowers, from the most common to the rarest specimens.

The proposed design is dominated by steel and glass — a choice that reflects the obvious connection between industrial construction and our representation of a more nature-friendly and sustainable future. This balance and complementariness is the overarching principle that has guided the design’s orientations. The sense of harmony is further emphasised by the shapes of the construction, and in particular the roofing, which features a compact array of large round skylights. These circular openings allow natural light to flow directly into the greenhouses, creating a play of light and shadow, illustrating the compatibility of human modernity and nature in contemporary architecture.

Soltis 92 Color provides shelter for plant collections

After 4 years of work, Greenhouse Garden finally opened at the Shanghai Expo Culture Park. Built on the location of an abandoned steelworks factory spanning a total of 40,000 sqm, the new institution includes five large themed greenhouses home to different families of desert and tropical plants, as well as hundreds of varieties of flowers, from the most common to the rarest specimens.

The greatest challenge in this project was to ensure adequate living conditions for the specimens kept in the greenhouses. In this instance, the project’s designers found that Serge Ferrari Group’s Soltis 92 Color was the best-suited solution available. In addition to delivering protection against UV rays, Soltis 92 Color blocks up to 97% of the sun’s heat, which makes it perfect for this type of application, where greenhouse effect-induced overheating can easily become problematic for the plants. Additionally, once in place, the material reduces glare and improves visual comfort for visitors.

Soltis 92 Color also offers long-lasting colour fastness. Combined with high mechanical resistance and dimensional stability, this durable membrane delivers optimal and lasting protection for the plants, while maintaining controlled climatic conditions for effective heat management and significant energy savings. Thanks to the use of Soltis 92 Color, the project’s goals were successfully achieved, bringing together technical performance and protection for this enclosed ecosystem.

Project Participants

Architect: Shanghai Xian Dai Architectural Design (Group) Co., Ltd
Client/installer: Shanghai BOKO
Copyright: Somfy China