Crystal Pool is a creative public space intervention designed by Chinese firm 100architects for the grand opening of a new mixed-use complex located in the New Bund, the emerging international business center in Pudong, Shanghai, with the aim of fostering entertainment and social interactions among new visitors, appealing to kids, youngsters and adults alike.
The project comprises the staircase that connects the street level with the public rooftop of the commercial building, and also the landing area on the street level in an attempt to link both levels through an eye-catching intervention which could encourage visitors to use the staircase as a public space as well.
The staircase was sprinkled with “water drops”, different typologies of mini-tribunes, carefully designed to provide a range of different seating and lounge positions overlooking the whole central intersection plaza. Those “water drops” would then create a “water puddle” on the bottom landing area, a pool of fun for the younger visitors, containing an obstacle track and a virtual pool with fun features as a playscape.
The resulting intervention is rendered as a playscape on the street level, filled with basic geometrical objects such as bubbles and waves to be colonized by kids, besides shaded seating features for adults, plus a funky staircase, turned from just a circulation space into a space to stay, to rest, to lay down and contemplate the urban enclave.
