Aedas-designed IM Shanghai is a cultural complex premised on the grand unveiling of a mountainous cityscape. The development, located at the intersection of Kaixuan Road and Huaihai West Road of Changning District and conveniently accessible via MTR Line 10 at Hongqiao Road Station, is adjacent to the Shanghai City Sculpture Art Centre, and Redtown Art District.A cultural tower, 3 office towers, 2 exhibition pavilions and 5 retail pavilions within the development are strategically scattered on the site to form a layered mountainous experience of the wild nature. Inspired by traditional Chinese landscape painting, layering of a mountainous contour is depicted by using Void and Solid striation, which also assist in complying with the glazing to wall ratio requirement.Rock-inspired pavilions are featured with surface details of symbolic “cracks”, and cut-out terraces on top forming unique form for each block. Cave-like sunken plazas are smartly set to allow natural daylight into the basement as it enhances pedestrian circulation.As an atypical co-working office building, IM Shanghai offers more than low-cost shared spaces or desk rental services. The tower adopts an efficient core tube structure and employs polygonal shapes in the standard floor plan. By dividing the passenger elevator into high and low zones, the high zone serves to create a more expansive office area through the setback of the core. In addition, the independent space provides a small-scale headquarters-like environment for start-ups, which renders it more attractive compared to other large-scale spaces.Guided by the tenets of urban regeneration and the requirements of increasingly connected digital cities, the design is rooted in the community. Through creating arresting visual motifs, a sense of belonging among members can be fostered, which in turn guarantees the sustainability of the community.