The U World: A Shared Space Reshaping Urban Living

Kris Lin's Innovative Community Center in Shenzhen, China

Located in Shenzhen, China, The U World leans on a large mountain ecological park in the north. The project boasts a superior natural environment, potential regional development, and convenient transportation. It is designed to become a city-shared living hall that integrates reading, coffee, family fitness, social activities, sightseeing, and other composite functions.

The project's unique properties lie in its design inspiration and realization technology. The art installation above the step reading area is made of illuminated geometric polygonal acrylic splicing, resembling a river in heaven and a silver bay at dawn. This literary-style reading area is set to become a mecca for book lovers.

The U World is not just a space for reading; it's a social platform with coffee experience as the carrier. It also offers a shared healthy living space and a parent-child space for activities such as baking, painting, performance, and animation theater. This design creates an interesting place for parent-child interaction activities, promoting a healthy and interactive lifestyle.

The project started in December 2020 and finished in August 2021 in Shenzhen. The design research underlying this project is rooted in the concept of healthy life. Fitness, as one of the important forms of active health, has received more and more attention from people. The boundaries are appropriately set within the constraints of the building structure of the original underground space, while the continuity of the space can be felt by visiting along the corridors of the space.

The U World faced creative, technical, and research challenges. The aim was to create a shared space that acts as an important transitional territory between home and city, a key place to show and reshape urban living style. This design was awarded Golden in A' Interior Space, Retail and Exhibition Design Award in 2022, reflecting the designer's prodigy and wisdom.

The U World is a testament to Kris Lin's innovative design approach, reshaping urban living style and setting a new standard for community centers. With its unique properties and composite functions, it serves as a model for future urban development projects.