Green Island Subestación Eléctrica Urbana by Xudong Zhu

Green Island Subestación Eléctrica Urbana by Xudong Zhu is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 A' Design Award de Bronce in Diseño de Arquitectura, Edificación y Estructuras Competition Category.

BronceArquitectura· 2025

Green Island Subestación Eléctrica Urbana

by Xudong Zhu

Client: T.e.n

A' Design Award de Bronce Winner in Arquitectura Category

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Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #166588

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

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The Design

About Green Island Subestación Eléctrica Urbana

La subestación eléctrica integra diseño sostenible y funcionalidad urbana para redefinir la infraestructura pública. Su fachada de doble piel presenta paneles solares en el sur y este para eficiencia energética, mientras que jardineras en muros verdes enriquecen el norte y oeste. La fachada sur reduce la contaminación acústica y transforma el área en un parque lineal, creando oportunidades para la actividad peatonal y la interacción comunitaria. Este enfoque innovador destaca cómo la infraestructura esencial puede contribuir tanto al bienestar ambiental como social.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award de Bronce

Green Island Subestación Eléctrica Urbana ha ganado el A' Design Award de Bronce, un reconocimiento sumamente prestigioso concedido a diseños sobresalientes que se distinguen por su creatividad, ingenio y astucia. Los ganadores de Bronce son artefactos ampliamente hábiles y sorprendentemente creativos que acreditan la vasta experiencia, imaginación e ingeniosidad de sus diseñadores. Se espera que Green Island Subestación Eléctrica Urbana sea un objeto muy apreciado, admirado y querido, notablemente profesional e innovador. Este diseño ganador del A' Design Award de Bronce incorpora las mejores prácticas del arte, la ciencia, el diseño y la tecnología, y es excelente por su atención al detalle. Green Island Subestación Eléctrica Urbana satisface espléndidamente las necesidades, toca los deseos, encanta los sentimientos y atrae la curiosidad.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: The power substation uses a double-skin facade to create a “breathing, growing, and energy-storing” Green Island, blending infrastructure with vibrant public space. Solar panels on the south and east maximize energy efficiency, while the north and west feature green walls with planting troughs. The southern facade shields traffic noise and transforms the edge into a lively linear park, connecting neighborhoods and fostering community engagement.
Dimensions & Packaging: The project is located on a 50,000 mm x 70,000 mm site, with a total building height of 12,000 mm.
Tags: Green Island, Public Space, Urban Infrastructure, Ecological Design, Sustainability, Power Substation, Double-skin Facade
Production Technology: The design was developed using a research-driven approach, integrating sustainable strategies and advanced modeling techniques. A double-skin facade system was employed, combining solar photovoltaic panels on sun-facing sides for energy efficiency and perforated aluminum panels with planting troughs on shaded facades to foster biodiversity. Parametric design tools optimized the facade's performance, ensuring a balance between functionality, aesthetics, and ecological benefits.
Design Challenge: The hardest part was balancing strict regulations with innovative design. Local laws restricted changes to building footprints, limiting structural flexibility. Socially, the challenge was transforming a utilitarian substation into a community asset. Technologically, optimizing the double-skin facade for energy efficiency while supporting dynamic green walls required advanced simulations. Overcoming these obstacles involved integrating research, creativity, and stakeholder collaboration.
Research: This applied research aimed to transform infrastructure into vibrant public spaces, focusing on sustainability and urban connectivity. Using sunlight analysis, energy modeling, and environmental simulations, we gathered data with parametric tools. Community feedback and expert insights informed the design. Results showed solar panels enhance energy efficiency, while green walls improve air quality and biodiversity. The project highlights how infrastructure can unite ecological, social, and functional goals.
Inspiration: This project was inspired by a desire to blend essential infrastructure with urban vitality. Motivated by the potential to turn functional structures into assets for the city, I aimed to create a sustainable design that balances energy efficiency with ecological and social benefits. Drawing from research in green architecture, the project transforms a passive boundary into an active public space that fosters harmony between nature and the urban environment.
Project Duration: The project designed in September 2024 in Shanghai, China.
Operation Flow: This project combines energy efficiency and urban vitality by using solar panels on sunlit sides to generate power and adjustable panels that provide shade and shelter for pedestrians. The green walls grow with the seasons, creating a dynamic and eco-friendly facade. The design transforms the space into a welcoming park, reducing noise, improving air quality, and connecting neighborhoods, making it both functional and inviting for the community.
Image Credits: All credit to Xudong Zhu