DESIGN REPUBLIC Design Commune

The existing structure is a protected heritage building from 1909, formerly the Gordon Road Police Station that served as the headquarters for the Shanghai municipal police force until 1943. The insertion of new elements was done carefully in order to celebrate the textural and material beauty of existing elements. Working within the mandate of preserving all existing structures, opportunities for alterations were found: strategic cuts are made in the entry lobby and the main corridor. Seemingly minute, these maneuvers convert a series of existing linear spaces into an interlocking puzzle of volumetric spaces. Lined with multiple glazed openings, each featuring a vignette of the rooms beyond, the new double height voids activate visual connections and create spatial intrigue. Circulation patterns are forced to shift around these cutouts, encouraging a visceral exploration rather than a journey guided by logic. These deceptively small alterations become a catalyst for the evolution of this historic building, setting the stage for new possibilities of use and occupation—not only housing the new flagship location for Design Republic, but also an events space, tapas restaurant and a hub for the active design community in Shanghai.