shanghai west bund, shanghai gate m, shanghai dreamcenter, shanghai waterfront, oval partnership, mvrdv

West Bund Gate M DreamCenter | Shanghai, China

Gate M West Bund Dream Center is a major adaptive reuse project in Shanghai's Xuhui district that transformed a century-old cement factory (once the largest in Asia) into a vibrant cultural and retail hub.

StudioSZ was engaged by the site’s master planners, The Oval Partnership, to photograph and film the waterfront project’s more than 460,000 square meters of mixed-use development.  

  • Our client was very clear in their photography brief that showcasing this vast project animated with activity and life was the most important mandate.  Specifically, they suggested that, in addition to showcasing the architecture and public realm, we should hone in on  intimate moments, such as people exercising, visitors with pets, al fresco dining, and many more.  As always, these kind of suggestions from our client directly led to a much stronger image set, rich with life.  

  • Two major challenges we faced shooting the West Bund DreamCenter were the massive crowds and the high temperatures.  Being one of the most popular public realms in the city, we of course wanted to showcase the project as active, vibrant, and full of life.  But there is a limit to how many people you can include in the frame - eventually the hoards of people can actually overwhelm the shot.  This is where patience behind the camera is important, waiting for the right moment when there’s a comfortable balance between humans and architecture.

    Summer in Shanghai can be extremely hot and humid.  In addition to battling the hot weather over a multi-day shoot, a second challenge the heat presented was that, in summer, a lot of locals wear protective coverings over their faces to block the sun which don’t make for ideal photos.   Again, being patient and waiting for the ideal moment was crucial.  

  • Over the course of four or five days on site, we came away with a set of photos and a short film that authentically showcases the waterfront development as one of Shanghai’s most visited and active public destinations.  Our deliverables put the project’s incredible energy front and center, interpreting the site from an overall lens, all the way down to capturing the small moments that help make this on elf the most popular destinations in China’s biggest city.

  • Master Planner:  The Oval Partnership

    Additional Design Teams:  MVRDV, Atelier Deshaus, SHL / Schmidt Hammer Lassen

    Landscape Designer:  James Corner Field Operations

    Project Size:  460,000m2

    Location:  Shanghai, China

    Photoshoot Year:  2025

    Scope:  Architectural Photography + Videography

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shanghai west bund, shanghai gate m, shanghai dreamcenter, landscape design, oval partnership, atelier deshaus, james corner field operations shanghai
shanghai west bund, shanghai gate m, shanghai dreamcenter, landscape design, oval partnership, mvrdv, james corner field operations shanghai
shanghai west bund, shanghai gate m, shanghai dreamcenter, landscape design, oval partnership, mvrdv, james corner field operations shanghai
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