Foster + Partners has announced the start of construction on a mixed-use development in Shanghai, China, with a ground-breaking ceremony.

The development is a part of the broader Sanlin Riverside project in the region.

Designed by Foster + Partners, the development's northern section will host office facilities while the southern part will offer additional workspaces and a diverse retail experience.

The project's buildings are seamlessly integrated through a series of landscaped gardens, plazas, courtyards, and a park designed for community markets and festivals, alongside a waterfront colonnade.

Foster + Partners Studio head Gerard Evenden said: “We are creating a wonderful new waterfront destination in Shanghai, which will enrich the local area with offices, cafés, shops, restaurants, and a range of green community spaces.

“The scheme’s vibrant public ground plane joins up with the new bay and a nearby metro station for sustainable travel to and from the development.”   

The office buildings are designed with expansive atriums that allow natural light to penetrate deep into the workspaces.

Retail spaces within the development will be anchored by a landmark building, envisioned as the heart of the development.

All the new buildings within the development are designed to reflect a contemporary interpretation of 20th-century Shanghainese architecture.

In October 2022, Foster + Partners announced the completion of the 310m-high Varso Tower in Poland.