Located in the Houtan area of the Pudong District in Shanghai, the former 2010 Shanghai Expo grounds are being rebuilt into a new cultural park with active recreational programming. The site has evolved over several decades, from natural wetland to farmland, to a ground of heavy industry, to international fair grounds, and now, an urban public park. Interpreting traditional Chinese moongate motifs, the Moongate Bridge modifies the edge of the bridge with a series of circular openings, framing the water as it spans across a man-made waterway. It marks a moment between a historical referentiality and a contemporary reflexivity.
The bridge is a gathering place and a viewing device, inviting pedestrians to look both inward and out. The scene evokes a historical Chinese garden inflected with contemporary material textures. Pavers form patterns to designate areas for vehicles or pedestrians. The bridge’s curving geometries are realized through an array of cobblestones, layered to form a stepped curve that creeps up the balustrades.
