Octave Living Room is the adaptive re-use of an historic structure into a 21,500 sq. ft. learning center in downtown Shanghai. The center is a hub for services including children's programs, family therapy, art therapy, yoga, body works, a health-oriented restaurant with food and beverage programs, and a small-scale urban farm. This project compliments our much larger wellness retreat in nearby Suzhou (scheduled to open in 2016) and will serve as a daily touch point for those enrolled in both in centers.
In partnership with the developer, Octave, we led the conceptualization, programming, and marketing, as well as the design of the project, from its early conception.
The project represents a new vision for development in China, where sudden and outpaced urbanization is challenging and transforming historical, cultural, and ecological ties among people, the landscape, and ways of life. With a concern for community, wellness, and urban farming, Octave Living Room is a model for integrating progressive agricultural, social, and public functions in a localized site that adapts to and inspires its neighborhood.