Huamu Lot 10 The Summit Shanghai building, China riverfront architecture, Chinese commercial development images

Huamu Lot 10 – The Summit, in Shanghai

19 September 2025

Architects: KPF

Location: next to Century Park and the Huangpu River, Shanghai, China

Photos: Studio SZ Photo Justin Szeremeta Courtesy KPF

Huamu Lot 10 The Summit Shanghai, China Riverfront Buildings

Conceived as a synthesis of culture and commerce, Huamu Lot 10 – The Summit reimagines participatory urbanism by transforming a neglected riverfront into a civic destination. Adjacent to Century Park and the Huangpu River, the development unites three office towers with an adjacent museum through a series of projecting Sky Galleries.

“The project seeks to flip the equation of a tower, which typically celebrates its crown, and instead places the gallery program as a cantilevered volume at the mid-point,” notes Jeffrey Kenoff, FAIA, KPF Design Principal. “The result is a moment that engages the pedestrian realm while simultaneously sculpting the project’s identity within the Shanghai skyline.” These illuminated cantilevers, clad in reflective and hammered titanized soffits, operate as both urban markers and social condensers within the city’s fabric.

A pivotal urban move relocated vehicular circulation to an outer loop, freeing a central plaza that forges new pedestrian connections between the towers, museum, and waterfront. Layered podium terraces, created by shifting slabs, guide visitors toward cultural and commercial programs while offering green respite and views across the city.

“Our vision was to harness the activity of the projecting cantilevers and terraces to reestablish the urban fluidity between Century Park and the river,” Kenoff adds. “To ensure tenant wellness, we designed every floor with full-height glass for ample daylight and great views, operable windows for fresh air and thermal comfort, and amenities such as roof gardens and art galleries—all while saving energy and respecting the surroundings,” explains Katsu Shigemi, AIA, KPF Senior Associate Principal.

Sustainability and technical innovation underpin the project. Rainwater harvesting, vegetative roofs, and resilient waterfront landscapes mitigate flooding, reduce heat gain, and restore ecological function. Structurally, the development employs steel trusses and a double-slab system to achieve the ambitious cantilevers.

“While most of the structure is reinforced concrete, we used steel trusses for the major structural moves, as well as a double-slab system at the gallery that cantilevers over the public plaza,” says Eric Engdahl, AIA, Associate Principal. These strategies—balancing environmental responsiveness, human comfort, and engineering precision—position Huamu Lot 10 – The Summit as both a civic catalyst and a landmark within Shanghai’s evolving skyline.

Huamu Lot 10 The Summit in Shanghai, China – Building Information

Architects: KPF – https://www.kpf.com/

KPF President: James von Klemperer, FAIA RIBA
Design Principal: Jeffrey A. Kenoff, FAIA
Managing Principals: Rebecca Cheng, RIBA HKIA, Inkai Mu, AIA
Project Managers: Sean Roche, RIBA, Ding Yong
Senior Designer: Katsunori Shigemi, AIA
Senior Designer for Interiors: Rodney Bell
Senior Technical Designers: Eric Engdahl, AIA, Rayka Luo,
Project Team: Matt Burdalski, Wenxin Chen, Michael Linx, Yunxia Dai, Laura Sandoval Illera, Max Leclerc, Fan Yang