My project highlights the idea of new and old and the contradicting political identity of Shanghai. The bridge/pool will form a civic purpose of connection and unity. The project won’t and doesn’t directly address the social unbalance, but it is intended to unify the groups by allowing everyone to use and connect with. It is a respond and reflection of the society and providing a civic space truly for everyone.
Civic Connection
The city contains three separate parts of cultural identity, from the right side. We have Pudong the side of New Shanghai with skyscrapers representing the Capitalist and then across the river. The Bund with western influence in its architecture representing traditional imperialism. And lastly, when you move outwards on either side of Shanghai you would find the traditional housing, Hutong. This city presents multiple political architectural styles at the expense of the liveability of this area, and it brings up the civic question: what is Shanghai/China’s political identity? Can you have a modern society living under communist ideology? How is society structured?
Civic Connection
The Swimming pool I want to design locates above the Huang Pu River, connecting the two sides as a bridge. Creating a body of water that brings unity and tranquillity away from the chaos. I imagine it to be a space were businessmen, and cleaning lady doesn’t matter which financial class or background would swim/ walk across throughout the day. When designing the bridge, I wanted to address three types of identities, using the three bridges to convey the differences. With the main pool as a mixture of culture and identity.
In the spirit of reconciliation Monash University acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.
