Text description provided by the architects
In the old residential area around Weihai Road in central Shanghai stands a historic building: it was once an opium factory and later an artists' colony. WeWork's Asia-Pacific headquarters is located in this brick building. The building is substantial in scale, and Linehouse layered a luxury hotel atmosphere into it, leading visitors on a strange and delightful adventure. Visitors first pass through an old stone archway and then walk through a pink corridor: the walls are pink, and the concrete floor is also painted pink. Between the two pink walls, several small pendant lamps hang open-air, casting warm yellow light, creating a joyful and welcoming atmosphere. Time has left many industrial-style marks on the old brick building. In the design, Linehouse sought to interpret and express the contrast between new and old in various ways. The reception desk sits at the intersection of traditional and modern architectural styles: the base is made of concrete, the front uses historic wood paneling, and the bronze metal countertop extends upward at its corners to outline the frame above. The project transforms a historic industrial building into a vibrant workplace that honors its past while embracing WeWork's collaborative, community-driven culture.