3D CITY
Masterplan Shanghai, China 2003

Hyperdensity
This masterplan deals with ‚Hyperdensity‘ - with extremely high density of urban space and inhabitants. Overpopulated cities with inadequate housing, infrastructure and heavy pollution are common issues all over the world. In the future these issues will become more and more urgent due to the rapid growth of the urban population. The 3D City project is based on the density of 2500 persons/ha or a floor area ratio of 12,5 which is comparable with the density of Hong Kong.

Social Structures
In Shanghai two opposite ways of living can be found today right next to each other. On one hand there are the low level buildings along busy streets onto which the occupants extend their space for living, working and communicating, the boundaries of private and public space blend into each other. On the other hand these traditional social structures are destroyed and substituted by monotonous high rise towers erasing communities and neighborhoods.

Concept
The 3D City combines the required high density with the traditional qualities of the public space, the streets. Individual skyscrapers are considered as vertical districts with connections on multiple levels to adjacent other high rise buildings. A three dimensional (car free)street and transport network as well as the vertical mixture of functions create an increased circulation of inhabitants. This mixture supports social interaction and avoids isolation. 

Site
The 3D City occupies an area alongside the elevated highways running throughout Shanghai using the dead space around and above it. The three dimensional structure encloses the highway with the potential to expand the system throughout the city.

Site Area: 2.5ha