A groundbreaking architectural project has transformed the waterfront of Dishui Lake in Shanghai's Lingang New Town, creating a unique fusion of transportation infrastructure and public recreational space. The Pier One Dishui Lake, designed by TM Studio and completed in 2023, represents an innovative approach to waterfront development that seamlessly integrates pier facilities with the surrounding natural landscape.
Located within the 80-meter green belt that encircles Dishui Lake, the 15,786-square-meter project sits adjacent to the Dishui Lake terminal station of Metro Line 16, serving as a crucial connection point between Lingang New Town and Shanghai's urban center. Rather than creating a standalone building that would disrupt the lakeside environment, the architects adopted a landscape-oriented design strategy that allows the pier structure to become an integral part of the waterfront ecosystem.
The project's most distinctive feature is its multi-hole arc-shaped planting roof that covers the entire site, creating what the architects describe as a 'cavity' filled with rich light and shadow effects, green vegetation, and diverse spatial experiences. This innovative structural approach accommodates cruise ship docking facilities and tourist boarding areas while maintaining the continuity of the waterfront landscape. The design incorporates wide steps, platforms, tree pools, ramps, stairs, and courtyards that create a complex spatial hierarchy within the covered area.
Lead architect Tong Ming worked with design team members Huang Xiaoying, Song Jiawei, Zhang Kewei, Ren Guang, and Guo Hongqu to develop this revolutionary concept. The project was executed in collaboration with The IT Electronics Eleventh Design Research Institute Scientific and Technological Engineering Corporation Limited for landscape design, Shanghai Urban Architectural Design Co., Ltd. for structural and MEP systems, and Shanghai JASO Group Co., Ltd. as the construction contractor.
The architectural strategy deliberately avoids the typical separation between pier buildings and green landscapes that often results from conventional land use planning. Instead, the three-dimensional arrangement of different circulation flows creates a dynamic waterfront experience that transcends ordinary daily life while accommodating multiple functions and behavioral activities. The green belt landscape seamlessly integrates with the pier's operational requirements through creative structural engineering solutions.
Photographer FangFang Tian's documentation reveals how the structure's innovative design allows vegetation to flourish both around the dock buildings and on the roof trusses, with plans for the greenery to eventually envelop and conceal much of the built structure. This approach ensures that the public space system created by the building's spatial framework becomes the project's most significant architectural statement, rather than the building itself.
The project represents a new paradigm in transportation infrastructure design, demonstrating how functional facilities can be transformed into distinctive public spaces. For Lingang New Town, a developing area located far from Shanghai's city center, Pier One Dishui Lake provides a unique waterfront environment that enhances the community's connection to its natural setting. The landscape architecture approach aims to awaken public awareness of the site's inherent value while nurturing ecological characteristics within the natural environment.
Since its completion, the pier has successfully stimulated frequent daily activities and festive events, bringing sustainable vitality to this emerging urban area. The project's success lies in its ability to serve dual purposes: functioning as essential transportation infrastructure for cruise operations while simultaneously providing residents and visitors with an exceptional recreational and cultural destination that celebrates the unique characteristics of Dishui Lake's waterfront environment.
