Press Release
Platinum A' Design Award in Architecture, Building and Structure Design Goes to Golden Key Venue Industrial and Office Building by MADA s.p.a.m. LLC
MADA s.p.a.m. LLC of MADA s.p.a.m recognized for architecture, building and structure design by the international grand jury of the 2024 - 2025 A' Design Award & Competition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 19, 2025 /DesignNewswire/ Golden Key Venue Industrial and Office Building by MADA s.p.a.m. LLC of MADA s.p.a.m has been granted the Platinum A' Design Award in the Architecture, Building and Structure Design category, A' Design Award & Competition has announced. The result belongs to the 2024 - 2025 A' Design Award & Competition and was decided through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who assessed anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.
About the Platinum A' Design Award
The Platinum A' Design Award is recognized for honoring designs that stand at the forefront of creativity and innovation. It is the highest accolade bestowed by the A' Design Awards, acknowledging works that blend remarkable innovation with impactful societal contributions. These designs not only showcase exceptional artistic and technical proficiency but also highlight their creators' commitment to advancing the boundaries of art, science, design, and technology. Recipients of this award are celebrated for their role in shaping the aesthetics and trends of our time, contributing significantly to the enhancement of quality of life and promoting sustainable development.
About Golden Key Venue Industrial and Office Building
Golden Key Venue is an office building in Shanghai, China, created by transforming a former warehouse. Three low-rise blocks are linked to a high-rise zone. A 26 meter cantilever is supported by two tilted columns clad in mirror finish stainless steel. The facade is made of 28,000 red terracotta panels, giving a minimalist campus-like appearance, while ultra-white glass curtain walls form the upper level. Stacked volumes create loft-like interiors. Courtyards, terraces, rooftop gardens and green spaces along Chuanqiao Road connect users with nature.
About MADA s.p.a.m. LLC
MADA s.p.a.m., founded in 1999 in Shanghai, is a dynamic Chinese architectural practice known for its multidisciplinary approach and sensitivity to social transformation. In 2007, founder Ma Qingyun’s appointment as dean at USC led to the establishment of a Los Angeles office, fostering architectural exchange in the Pacific Rim. With a global team, MADA s.p.a.m. has completed projects in major Chinese cities like Beijing, Shenzhen, and Shanghai.
About MADA s.p.a.m
MADA s.p.a.m., led by Ma Qingyun, is an architecture design firm. Notable projects include Ningbo Institute of Technology, Xi’an TV Broadcast Center, Jiading Public Library, and Ullens Art Museum.
Award Record
MADA s.p.a.m. LLC of MADA s.p.a.m is a winner of 1 A' Design Award, including this recognition.
About the A' Architecture, Building and Structure Design Award
The A' Architecture Design Award is an international architectural design competition recognizing good architectural designs by best architects worldwide. The competition is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to architectural design studios, building contractors, structural engineering firms and architecture and design consultants from all countries. Entries typically include skyscrapers, museums, residential buildings, commercial complexes, educational institutions and religious structures. Awarded architectural projects are published at https://dezigners.org/design-category/architecture
About A' Design Award & Competition
A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade organized annually since 2008. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The A' Design Award has a philanthropic mission to advance society through good design by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Entries are peer reviewed and anonymously evaluated by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. The A' Design Prize granted to eligible laureates includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, the upload of a work and the preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. Further information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com
Press Resources
- Winner Page: https://dezigners.org/168626
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/168626
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!168626
- Laureate Profile: https://dezigners.org/d/365073
- Further Information from the Laureate: https://bit.ly/432ZGb2
Media Contact
Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953
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Fact Sheet
The Work
- Project
- Golden Key Venue Industrial and Office Building
- Function
- Industrial and Office Building
- Category
- Architecture, Building and Structure Design
- Discipline
- Spatial Design
- Industry
- Architecture
- Colors
- Dark Slate Gray, Light Blue, Sienna, Dark Olive Green and Black
- Images
- 5
The Recognition
- Laureate
- MADA s.p.a.m. LLC
- Country
- China
- Brand
- MADA s.p.a.m
- Recognition
- Platinum A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2024 - 2025
- Design ID
- #168626
Credits
- Team
- Ma Qingyun, Project Architect: Geng Lingxiang, Project Architect: Geng Yifei, Architect: Chen Yitao, Architect: Li Yibo, Architect: Liu Ruihua, Architect: Zhang Jiawen, Architect: Zhou Wenxin, Architect: Zhang Qi, LDI Architect: Hong Youran, LDI Architect: Jiang Hui, LDI Architect: Li Jie, LDI Architect: Lu Lei, LDI Architect: Xue Jian, LDI Architect: Huang Chen, LDI Architect: Gao Ting, LDI Architect: Yuan Yao
- Image Credits
- Photographer Vincent Wu, 2024.; Photographer Vincent Wu, 2024. Video Credits: MADA s.p.a.m LLC, 2024
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- This project explores urban norms through three low-rise blocks linked to a high-rise zone, with two slanted columns. It integrates green spaces along Chuanqiao Road and uses stacked volumes for a loft-like design. The facade, with 28,000 red ceramic tiles, offers a minimalist "academic-style" look, while courtyards, terraces, and rooftop gardens foster creativity and nature connection.
- Inspiration
- Urban structures possess an inherent logic that requires rationality and knowledge to shape, forming a driving force for urban behavior - an Urban Catalyst. Its purpose is to influence other elements, attracting talent to collectively create a vibrant, cohesive city, driven by empowered industries, urban construction, productivity integration, vitality creation, and regeneration.
- Research
- The Golden Key Venue, located at 1065 Chuanqiao Road in Pudong's Jinqiao area, was formerly the Huashi Storage Warehouse under Shanghai Pharma Group. The five-story, 2,700 sqm building was in disrepair and had low land-use efficiency, affecting the surrounding industrial community. As part of Jinqiao Sub-center's broader transformation, Shanghai Pharma Holdings and Jinqiao Group, two state-owned enterprises, have spearheaded this urban renewal project.
- Challenge
- The design’s challenge lies in the 26 meter cantilever, supported by two inclined giant columns wrapped in mirror finish stainless steel. These columns extend from the ground to the ceiling, creating a seamless, suspended effect. Balancing structural integrity with the delicate reflective surfaces required close coordination between engineering and design, ensuring both stability and visual impact. Achieving strength, elegance, and a surreal spatial experience was essential to the project’s success.
- Realization and Technology
- The building features a 26-meter cantilever supported by two tilted, mirror-finish stainless steel columns, creating a surreal spatial effect. The facade, made of 28,000 red terracotta panels, evokes a minimalist campus-style aesthetic with green trees and red walls. The upper portion showcases glazed ultra-white glass curtain walls, forming a distinct two-level architectural design.
- Operation and Interaction
- Through the collaboration between Shanghai Pharma Holdings and Jinqiao Group, an old warehouse has been transformed into a landmark innovation hub in the Jinqiao Sub-center. Magsense Health has settled in the project, with biopharmaceutical companies like Huashi Pharmacy and Huantong Technology joining soon. This initiative is fostering a synergistic biopharmaceutical ecosystem, positioning the area as a key industry hub and a Shanghai benchmark for urban renewal driving new productivity.
- Project Duration and Location
- The design phase of the architectural project began in 2021, with construction completed in 2024. Location: 1065 Chuanqiao Road, Shanghai, China
- Specifications
- The site covers an area of 11,000 square meters, with a total building area of 36,000 square meters (22,000 square meters above ground and 14,000 square meters underground). The building has a height of 40 meters, with 5 floors above ground and some areas reaching 8 floors.
- Keywords
- Urban Catalyst, Urban Renewal, Industrial Architecture, Architectural Transformation, Green Spaces, Community, Research and Development, Cantilever Architecture
