SH2O | ShanghaiUrban Thinktank
Ten architectsdiscuss about the future city
A project initiated by Nunzia Carbone (DEDODESIGN Architects) with the participation of Alexander Ahnebrink (Shanghai), Alice Casiraghi (UX designer, Shanghai), Marianna Cavada (SmartCities StartUps Ltd), Kostas Chatzigiannis (KCA, Shanghai), Stephane Lasserre (B+H Architects, Shanghai), Anna Pagani (Shanghai), Valeria Piconi (Shanghai), Lorenzo Trucato(Miralles Tagliabue EMBT, Shanghai), Andrei Zerebecky (FOUR O NINE, Shanghai).
In collaboration with:
Isabella Frances Baranyk (NYU Shanghai), Ofelia Fornaciari (Milan Polytechnic / Tongji University), Ilaria Lambri (Milan Polytechnic / Tongji University), Chang MingHui (Dedodesign Architects)
In conversation with:
Anna Greenspan (NYU Shanghai), David Li (Co-founder of XinCheJian, China and Director at Shenzhen Open Innovation Lab), Maya Kramer (artist, Shanghai), Ben Mendelsohn (NYU), Todd Meyers (NYU Shanghai), Roberto Pagani (Science and Technology Counselor at the Consulate General of Italy in Shanghai / Turin Polytechnic), Francesca Tarocco (NYU Shanghai / Venice University), Ellen Zweig (video artist, New York).
It all started with a conversation among ten Shanghai-based Europeans architects who share a strong interest in cities and new urbanism. We decided to organize a workshop titled “SH2O”to talk about climate change and the rising sea level, and the impact it could have to the future of Shanghai.
Together with anthropologists, urban researchers, historians, artists and entrepreneurs, the workshop “SH2O” explores the challenges of urban growth, the potential of technology, the future of mobility, and how climate change will drastically change urban and social realities, local economies and food production.
We feel a sense of urgency to expand the conversation about the future city and gesture towards possible architectural and design interventions to mitigate its potentially catastrophic consequences.
We propose a resilient plan to protect the most vulnerable waterfront of Shanghai. At the core of our future wetland buffers development along the coastline, is a spine-like infrastructure. This is a living membrane that filters and protects against flooding. It is a digital and AI infrastructure that gathers data and explores the potential resources of the ocean. Water is no longer to be feared but embraced. Our vision is to achieve an innovative and sustainable future way of living on the coast and open the city up to new oceanic routes and opportunities.
On the occasion of the Salone del Mobile in Shanghai we launched a ten-day Wechat campaign to raise awareness and start a conversation around this subject.
SH2O is, much like the envisioned proposal, an alive organism. We welcome like-minded individuals and organizations to join our conversation and seek solutions. We aim to push boundaries and motivate citizens and institutions to actively strategize about the future urban life, so that we will not be caught off guard.
