CANU Hub
Location: Shanghai, China
Area: 210 sqm
Status: Complete
Completion: August 2022
A multifunctional offline space that realizes all possibilities of sustainability. Located on the second floor of an 80s building on Yanping Road in Jing’an District, Shanghai, the space is square, bright, and open, giving every visitor an immediate sense of spaciousness. The intentional blank spaces enhance the flexibility of the space, expanding the potential for various future transformations and embodying the multifaceted dimensions of “sustainability.”
As a comprehensive platform rooted in the fashion industry and dedicated to promoting sustainable concepts, CANU has been committed to connecting key players across the industry chain since its inception. Through aesthetics and creativity, it aims to make sustainable fashion visible, tangible, consumable, and traceable. An offline space for face-to-face interactions undoubtedly helps us break industry barriers further, create deep connections, and build a more diverse “sustainable fashion” community.
In terms of design philosophy, we strive to return to the essence of the space, intervening with new materials as little but as interestingly as possible, reducing one-time hard renovations for future exhibitions—not only to meet the current moment’s “sustainability” but also to carry forward future “sustainability.” The main exhibition space is about 180 square meters, and the entire space includes a display box, a sliding door, a long table, and a ceiling fixture. We use the following images to further explain the functions of each partitioned area.
Overall Space: It is a square, orderly room with two main beams, windows on three sides, and four columns. The display box, sliding door, long table, and ceiling fixture interact and flow with the beams, columns, doors, and windows in the original space.
Display Box: The first thing seen upon entering is the display box at the center of the space. The choice of stainless steel flat material adds lightness and transparency, creating a space within a space that can serve as a display window or a central stage with dramatic effect.
Marble Long Table: To the right of the entrance is a marble long table in front of the window, forming a diagonal balance with the display box. The natural surface cut of the stone material, with clear textures and natural touch, adds tranquility to the space. The table is designed referencing the factory workbench used for cutting fabrics, versatile in function—it can display exhibits, support workshop activities, and serve as a dining table, conference table, display table, or work table. The cabinets underneath are also movable, serving as extra display cases or storage space.
Sliding Door: An extension of the space. A sliding door running north-south blurs the boundaries between public and private, further enhancing the flexibility of the space. The space behind the sliding door is set up as a simple workspace, with all cabinets on wheels for easy movement to different positions as needed. The cabinets can be used as partitions to create an independent space behind the sliding door for meetings or office areas, like backstage; or they can be moved to the front hall as additional display cases or storage spaces. Sliding the door to the left reveals the right half, extending the display space of the marble long table forward; sliding the door to the right reveals the left half, allowing the contents of the display box to interact with the space behind the sliding door. The sliding door itself can be used as a pin board for displays, and it is covered with nylon carpet material made from recycled plastic bottle caps, reflecting material recycling.
Ceiling System: The space is transparent, with sunlight entering through windows on three sides from morning to evening, providing continuous and even lighting for indoor activities. We interlaced new tracks around the original roof beams, adding hooks to form a complete indoor ceiling system for lighting adjustments and exhibition setups. For activities that require a completely enclosed space, suspended partitions can create a closed, light-proof room.
CANU believes in the power of individuals and their collective strength in driving sustainable development. We adhere to the concept of multifunctional and highly flexible space utilization to meet various sustainable fashion creative needs—creativity is limitless. The platform regularly hosts small exhibitions, markets, workshops, and masterclasses. Together, we focus on the industry, build communities, delve into sustainable lifestyles, initiate co-creation and exchanges, and explore new possibilities in the sustainable industry.