CUHK Shanghai Centre will open near Fudan University in Yangpu District, Shanghai. Our School has launched a competition including both indoor and outdoor refurbishments for the KIC and Innovation & Entrepreneurship College under the Shui On Group, which was completed in December 2022. On 18 January 2022, a forum was hosted at our School with five speakers from Shanghai and Hong Kong depicting the competition’s organisation, shortlisted proposals, and the winning scheme. The space developer, manager, and user representatives together with the professional jurors then discussed the proposal's potential impact.

Zhang Dongguang, the winner of the competition, came up with a proposal that features a giant staircase connecting the plaza with an outdoor platform on the second floor of the building, thereby creating a more open, interactive space. The proposal highlights ideas inspired by previous urban design of the district, such as small street blocks, open courtyard, porous connection between the streets and the courtyard etc. The interior space will also be renovated to maximize the benefits of the original 4.7-metre-high ceilings, with movable wall systems that enable users to create multi-functional space flexibly. “The design of public space is turning into a focus point for office design in the post-epidemic era.” Professor Zhu Jingxiang, person-in-charge of the design competition, said.

The Design Competition for the CUHK Shanghai Centre was jointly organised by CUHK, Shanghai Yangpu Technology & Innovation Group, Shanghai Penta Innovation & Entrepreneurship Institute and KIC. Alumni of the School of Architecture were recruited to propose design for the Centre, which shall be transformed into a gathering place for CUHK alumni as well as a new landmark for innovation and entrepreneurship in Shanghai.