Silver Infrastructure · 2025
Pastoral Substation Public Infrastructure
by Hang Chen
- Silver A' Design Award 2025 in Infrastructure
- CLIENT: WE-Me Group of Shenzhen Water Planning & Design Institute Co., Ltd.
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 33,661
- Verification code F47799975B · Verify this award
Colors
About Pastoral Substation Public Infrastructure
Pastoral Substation converts a 220kV substation into an open urban space. It features solar panels, kinetic devices, and green paths, blending clean energy with eco design. Drawing from the site's industrial past and natural surroundings, it provides event venues and field zones. The project reimagines infrastructure as a shared civic asset, turning the substation from an isolated facility into a community resource.
About the Silver A' Design Award
Pastoral Substation Public Infrastructure is a Silver A' Design Award winner, an extraordinarily prestigious recognition granted to top-of-the-line, gorgeous, and impressive designs. Silver winners are tremendously brilliant and exceedingly creative works that illustrate the outstanding expertise, talent, and acuity of their designers. Pastoral Substation Public Infrastructure is expected to be a wonderful, showpiece work that is remarkably professional and profoundly innovative. This Silver A' Design Award-winning design is a highly notable, admired invention that benefits and advances the boundaries of art, science, design, and technology. Pastoral Substation Public Infrastructure is a vastly envied creation that evokes desires, introduces positive feelings, and sparks amazement and wonderment.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- Pastoral Substation reimagines a 220kV power facility in Shanghai’s Minhang District, transforming it into an ecological and educational urban space. By integrating photovoltaic installations, kinetic energy devices, and interactive landscapes, the project merges renewable energy with public engagement. The design blurs boundaries between infrastructure and nature, redefining the substation as a sustainable community asset, fostering environmental awareness and urban connectivity.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- The site spans 1.21 hectares, integrating substation infrastructure with eco-friendly landscapes and public engagement areas. A coordinated 3.49-hectare greenbelt enhances connectivity. Elevated walkways, solar canopies, and pedestrian pathways optimize multi-layered experiences, linking water, land, and energy systems. The design preserves natural elements, incorporating interactive learning spaces and sustainable mobility networks, setting a new standard for energy-conscious urban renewal.
- Tags
- Infrastructure, Renewable Energy, Urban Regeneration, Public Space, Ecological Landscape, Sustainable Design
- Production Technology
- The project employs solar panels, wind-powered installations, and rainwater collection systems to enhance sustainability. Locally sourced materials like steel, concrete, and timber ensure durability and contextual integration. Passive design strategies optimize natural ventilation and daylighting, reducing energy consumption. The landscape incorporates permeable surfaces and native vegetation, creating a resilient, self-sustaining environment that blends technology with ecological consciousness.
- Design Challenge
- The challenge was to transform a traditionally enclosed substation into a dynamic, community-friendly space while maintaining its technical functionality. Balancing security, accessibility, and energy efficiency required innovative spatial configurations. The design overcomes these constraints by integrating controlled public access zones, interactive elements, and renewable energy solutions, redefining infrastructure as a sustainable urban asset.
- Research
- The project explores the convergence of urban infrastructure and ecological sustainability. Through studies on renewable energy integration, community engagement, and adaptive landscape strategies, it establishes a replicable model for substation renewal. The research emphasizes low-carbon construction, multi-functional green spaces, and innovative energy use, ensuring infrastructure aligns with environmental and social needs.
- Inspiration
- Inspired by Shanghai’s ambition for sustainable infrastructure, the project revitalizes an industrial site into a green, interactive environment. The design integrates technological innovation with ecological strategies, drawing from the region’s agrarian and water-based heritage. By incorporating renewable energy and adaptive reuse, it envisions a future where essential infrastructure harmonizes with public life, reinforcing the city’s commitment to green urbanism.
- Project Duration
- Located in Minhang District, Shanghai, China, the project aligns with Shanghai’s sustainable urban development initiatives. The transformation supports long-term ecological integration, enhancing urban resilience and energy-conscious city planning.
- Operation Flow
- Visitors engage with renewable energy exhibits, interactive solar installations, and pedestrian-friendly networks. Kinetic energy pathways generate power through movement, reinforcing sustainability education. The space fosters community interaction through workshops, guided tours, and public events. By redefining infrastructure as an accessible learning environment, the project transforms a once-isolated facility into an active, inclusive urban landmark.
- Image Credits
- Hang Chen
