DUTS design has recently finished the neXtlab Yu Art Museum in TX huaihai mall, together with CCC ArtLAB and AKIMBO X Art Coffee，created an innovative experimental space for Shanghai that combines art, coffee, bar, art retail and events, it shows the cutting-edge art trend of diversification and integration. The fusion of futuristic cold tones and woody warmth in the space is like a dialogue between rationality and sensibility, and the fusion of art and fashion. Step into this space and you are in the future.

The space is located on Shanghai's most prosperous Huaihai Road, across the third to fourth floors of TX Huaihai. TX Huaihai mall is the pioneer of CURETAIL（Curated Retail），advocating "Digital , Oasis , Urban, and X （Collaboration）”as the core of sustainable urban development and aiming to create a platform to deliver multicultural and young lifestyles for new consumer communities. It is both a brand new curatorial shopping mall and trendy landmark for the public.

NeXtLAB is run by the owners of TX Huaihai mall. Since TX is a new CURETAIL business model aimed at young people, the owner also hope to create a multi-functional space for people to “STAY LONG”in TX Huaihai mall.

Y-axis: over 40-meter large terrace, viewing urban and nature

The space faces the street, with over 40 meters viewing terrace of Huaihai Road, which is also a big highlight of the site. In order to preserve and enlarge this space advantage, the designer created an over 40-meters terrace in the form of an integrated suspension structure. By elevating the terrace to a height of about 40 cm, a full floor-to-street look and feel is formed.
The ingeniously elevated 40cm allows the white terrace to form a dramatic expression of "anti-gravity" and form a full-fledged viewing experience. The raised scale of the suspended terrace allows people to sit and stand, bringing a relaxing and natural atmosphere in the space.

Museum crushing in TX Huaihai

Next to the main building of TX Huaihai, there is a five-story auxiliary building that intersects it. The fifth floor of the auxiliary building and the fourth floor of the main building form an "occlusal" relationship in the space. The difference in highlights between the two buildings also make this space have a high difference.

Such a venue "disadvantage" also brings more dramatic expressions for space. Using the high differences between the main building and the counterpart and the structure, DUTS's designers let the art museum's exhibition hall through another building, forming an art museum"crushing in TX Huaihai" .

The "white light box" suspended in the air makes the art exhibition the visual center of the entire space. Along the steps, the audience opens a dialogue with art. The concise space lines ensure the integrity of the exhibition space pattern and present the artworks of art in a more pure way.

NeXtLAB, it is not only an art museum, a coffee store, a creative IP incubator, You can call it "a laboratory with no definition: a temporary dwelling place for artistic souls, a gathering place for inspiration, and a container for ideas and possibilities." Anyone can meet a different self here.

10m！ cantilever anti-gravity coffee bar

Creating a more technically skillful experience for LAB space, DUTS designer designed a "anti-gravity" coffee bar for Akimbo X. The sharp lines have passed the space, bringing extraordinary shock visual feelings.
Through the hidden and visual "wedge" blind spot, the designer makes a "suspension state" carrying the coffee machinery and all the upper water-related functions. Single arms have a single arm for more than 10 meters, loaded with 200kg, breaking through the structural limitation.

XLab：Move to the future

X, taken from next, is the future of tomorrow
LAB, space for experimentation and innovation
neXtlab, An experimental field of discovery, discussion and mutual learning
neXtlab ,Keep our thoughts at the fore front of the future

By using the large steps between the original three or four layers, DUTS's designers extend the NEXTLAB's space entry from the original four layers to three layers, so that the energy and flexibility of the entire field are greatly enhanced.

Through the simple material changes of the top and sides, the open staircase becomes a place for art exhibition and people's resting place. The relatively compact commercial space opens up a place for activities that make people suddenly enlightened. The combination of stainless steel material and folds brings out a sense of the future in the continuous waves.

neXtlab brings together the most cutting-edge innovation and the most dynamic lifestyle. In terms of space language, the designer also hopes to use the most extreme "X" to echo the pursuit of extreme innovation and youth, while release the greatest potential of the space .

"We hope that this space is "Growable" with a vibrant“Youth Power”integrated in its genes. It is what we have absorbed from the TX Huaihai Malll and hope to empower the space. We don’t want to limit it with any so-called “definition”. It can be an art museum, a cafe, a bookstore, or a pop space. We hope that it will carry this infinitely possible “Youth Power”, To break through the imagination, to grow freely, and present its most natural and healthy look."
——Zhong Ling, founder of DUTS Design, architect

"NeXtlab is launching now. It takes inspiration from the urban, and creates artistic spiritual oasis in noisy sound: here, our innermost heart is closest to tranquility, and our soul will be closest to truth. At this moment, there is a space lead us to all possibilities. None of the thoughts will be missed, and we are moving towards truth and talent."
——NeXtlab Producer: Li Shi

A city that grows naturally, an undefined "growable space", is recording the lifestyle and natural growth of countless young people in the city. Facing the most prosperous Huaihai Road in Shanghai, it is a street dance classroom, a fashion show stage, a TED forum, or a relaxing place with friends and coffee.

"Young people can bring great vitality to the city, and similarly, the high-quality urban humanistic space can soothe more young hearts." The skyline and times passing by make us more connected with this city.

Echoing the diversified and fusion of cutting-edge art trends and lifestyles, DUTS design created the "Growable LAB" with innovative spatial language. Pure white, cold gray, and warm wood colors blend in an orderly manner in the space, art, technology, and lifestyle are organically integrated and grow infinitely, making urban life full of more possibilities.

Project name：TX Huaihai neXtLAB YU ART MUSEUM
Location: 3-4F, TX HUAIHAI, No. 523 Huaihai Road, HuangPu District, Shanghai. China
Client: Xuanzhan Culture（NEXTLAB）
Area: 765 sqm
Architect in charge: Ling Zhong
Architectural design:Jiangjian Su, Michael Shi, Guangjian Zhou,Tianyang Gu
Structural Engineer：XinY Structural Consultants
Photographs: LLAP
More info: DUTS design http://www.dutsdesign.com/