take a closer look at industrial art park by OPEN architecture, 'tank shanghai'

OPEN architecture gives new life and cultural relevance to five abandoned aviation fuel tanks scattered across an empty industrial site along the banks of shanghai’s huangpu river. over the course of six years, the five tanks were converted from waste containers to a vibrant contemporary art center, with galleries and other public spaces housed within the tanks themselves. one of the world’s rare examples of the adaptive re-use of aviation fuel tanks, tank shanghai has attracted millions of visitors since its opening in march 2019 and has solidified its place in the chinese city’s contemporary art scene.

image © INSAW image

OPEN architecture conceives ‘tank shanghai’ as both an art museum and an open park, revitalizing a derelict site. the architecturally and culturally significant master plan sets itself apart as a sanctuary for both people and nature. open, accessible, and seamlessly integrated with the surrounding landscape, the project not only pays tribute to the industrial past of its context, but also dissolves conventional ideas of site boundaries. within a year, the venue has hosted high-profile art exhibitions, a fashion week, art festival, and an AI conference. by introducing new audiences to the traditionally closed-off space of the art center, the complex has introduced new energy to the formerly industrial neighborhood and to the southwest banks of the city.

image by tian fangfang

OPEN architecture’s design serves to purposefully reject the concept of borders along its site. vest, sloping meadows engulfing each tank gallery offer open access to the street and riverside, inviting visitors and passersby to move freely between the city, nature, and art. amidst the backdrop of shanghai’s many more exclusive cultural projects, this gesture introduces a new element of social inclusivity. many of those who come to the tanks do so not only to view an art show, but also to enjoy the project’s rolling, landscaped lawns. this unusually open approach to the museum space has already brought about unexpected benefits and inspired new operational models for the art center.

image © INSAW image

image © INSAW image

image by wu qingshan

image by OPEN architecture

image by chen hao

image by wu qingshan

image by wu qingshan

image by tian fangfang

image by wu qingshan

image © INSAW image

image by wu qingshan

image © INSAW image

image © INSAW image

project info:

project title: tank shanghai

architecture: OPEN architecture

location: west bund, xuhui district, shanghai, china

design year: 2013-2019

status: built

client: shanghai west bund development group, TANK shanghai

program: art galleries, event spaces, restaurant, café, live music club, museum offices and art storage

building area: 10,845 sqm

site area: 47,448 sqm

principal-in-charge: li hu, huang wenjing
project team: ye qing, luo ren, victor quiros, zhou tingting, chen xiuyuan, li zhentao, zhao yao, lu di, jia han, zhang yiwen, steven shi, zhou xiaochen, huang zhonghan, laurence chan, cynthia yurou cui, yang qi, ge can, gao qi, stephanie lee, jin boan, zhang hao, wang mangyuan, yan dihua, zhang chang, tomas kowalsky, jiang simin
local design institute: tongji architectural design group
landscape design: beijing EDSA orient planning & landscape architecture co., ltd.
lighting consultant: shanghai ming chi architecture and engineering co., ltd.