Following a momentous 70th year in 2017, Benoy celebrates its 10 year anniversary in Shanghai on 30 August. Alongside a newly unveiled design studio and a collection of openings and completions, Benoy Shanghai has also shown it is looking to the future with a portfolio of significant projects which aim to shape the next decade for the design studio in China.
Shanghai on the rise
Benoy established its first studio outside of the UK in Hong Kong in 2002, opening the gateway to the Asia Pacific region. Building upon a suite of successful collaborations and projects being delivered in China from Hong Kong, Benoy founded its studio in Shanghai in 2008. Established by a small team, Benoy set down roots on Nanjing Road with support from colleagues from the Hong Kong and London studios. Today, this small founding team is still with Benoy – Qin Pang, now Director and Head of Shanghai, alongside Emi Wang, Carrie Mei, Wei Tang and Sherry Wu.
From a small team of five, the Shanghai studio has undergone immense growth over the last decade. The team now numbers almost 80 and works from a newly refurbished studio within a development designed by Benoy, ICC Shanghai.
Qin Pang said,
“I am incredibly proud to have been one of our first founding members and to still be working alongside the same team that joined Benoy Shanghai back in 2008. The milestone we celebrate today is a testament to Benoy’s culture as a global family as well as the talent and commitment of our team and the partners we work with.”
A compelling portfolio
The expansion of the Shanghai studio and team reflects the growing portfolio of work undertaken by Benoy. The team has celebrated a number of project completions in 2018 including the twin tower development The New Bund World Trade Center (Phase I) in the Qiantan Central Business District, the innovative retail village Joy City in Hangzhou, as well as the upcoming Alibaba HQ in Hongqiao.
Tom Cartledge, CEO of Benoy, said,
“To see so many of the Shanghai team’s designs coming to completion in the 10th anniversary year is a wonderful moment for Benoy. There’s no better way to celebrate their success over the last decade than to see this work, both completed and on the drawing board, actively shaping the cities in which we work.”
Benoy’s Shanghai team is also busy designing its next generation of projects. The conversion of awaterfront ice factory into a retail-led destination in Nanjing, an Arts Center in Hangzhou and aScience and Innovation Park in Shanghai are just some of the many projects on the drawing board which look to bring Benoy’s brand of commercial creativity and engaging ‘Places for people’ to cities across China and beyond.
Anniversary celebrations
The Benoy team commemorated the anniversary with a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open the newly designed studio in ICC Shanghai. Benoy Chairman, Graham Cartledge CBE and Benoy CEO, Tom Cartledge joined the celebrations alongside the Asia Directorship and special guest John Edwards, the British Consul-General in Shanghai. The event was followed by an evening reception hosted within another of Benoy’s developments, iAPM.
Benoy will also celebrate its 10th anniversary in Singapore later this year.