SHANGHAI SEES NEW SOLAR POWERED TREE MARKETPLACE IN THE YEAR TO COME

Planned for Shanghai’s Minhang district, the famous Solar Trees Marketplace is a contemporary take on a traditional Chinese marketplace which was designed by Koichi Takada Architects.

This biophilic project celebrates local culture and provide a shared community space. The project includes 32 artificial trees that provide a shady canopy for market activities, and prepares for a more sustainable way of living in a big city such as China by using elements like solar energy and passive cooling. The architects’ design of the trees will provides 3,450 square meters of covered walkways which will offer shade but will still allow some light and air to come through and cool the covered spaces. 

Koichi Takada explained that, “We want to humanise buildings in the district, to be more engaging to the public and contribute to the regeneration of communities and their neighbourhoods. We want architecture to celebrate cultural identity, along with encouraging pedestrian activities and a more walkable and liveable city.”

The designers, Koichi Takada Architects, took inspiration from Shanghai’s own beautiful forests and tree covers to combine the green and the community-oriented goals in this project. 

Solar Trees Marketplace furnishes energy for itself with solar panels which are placed at the top of the canopy. Aside from providing a comfortable place for shoppers, there is also a whole new scenery planned with Plenty of new plant life planned for the area immediately surrounding the marketplace. 

The construction for the Solar Trees Marketplace has already begun and is set to open to the community early in the year 2022.