Winning the international competition for the Shanghai Commercial & Savings Bank Headquarters in 2014 marked the beginning of a ten-year design exploration for JJP—one that has continually examined corporate identity within the urban fabric, optimized land use and structural integrity, and sought a balance between sustainability and cultural legacy.
Located at the intersection of Minquan East Road and Zhongshan North Road in Taipei, the project rebuilds the Shanghai Commercial & Savings Bank headquarters. Despite a compact site and a 65.49-meter height limit, the area is characterized by a dense urban fabric and a feng shui layout traditionally associated with prosperity. Formerly home to the Majestic Hotel—a landmark of 1980s urban modernity, the site remains a focal point of the city’s commercial core.
With the 2017 enactment of Taiwan’s Urban Hazardous and Aged Buildings Accelerated Reconstruction Act, Shanghai Commercial & Savings Bank became eligible for accelerated commercial redevelopment, addressing both public and corporate aspirations, alongside enhanced seismic safety and energy-efficiency standards.
The new headquarters respects feng shui alignment while moving structural elements outward to maximize interior space, employing a “one core + diagonal rib” system to improve land-use efficiency.
The building’s exterior employs a diagonal rib (DIAGRID) system with “Y,” “X,” and inverted “V” configurations. This system not only optimizes structural load paths but also significantly reduces steel usage while enhancing overall wind and seismic performance. Its minimalist geometric language creates multiple facets, evoking associations with both diamonds and financial order.
The diagonal rib framework integrates form and function. Floors 14–16 use an inverted “V”structure for open high spaces with city and sky garden views, while floors 4–13 employ an “X” system with an energy-efficient curtain wall, maximizing daylight and interior–exterior continuity.
This system also facilitates the creation of double-height spaces. The “Y” configuration shapes an 11 m-high arcade, connecting the fully open lobby with the banking hall, two key clusters of public service spaces. Through a fully transparent white-glass curtain wall, it achieves dual transparency—both structural and spatial—enhancing both engineering performance and user experience.
In financial architecture, transparency has long signified openness and trust, making glass facades common. Yet today, such visually transparent walls often fail to meet energy and carbon-reduction needs.
How can they evolve into systems that combine aesthetics with climate-responsive performance?
To tackle the facade’s energy and carbon challenges, JJP created its in-house JJP Lab and partnered with SBED Lab at National Cheng Kung University. They developed a building performance evaluation system combining Ladybug (thermal radiation), DIVA (daylighting), and EnergyPlus (energy use), enabling the design team to use parametric modeling to rapidly assess the sustainability of different façade options even before finalizing form and materials.
During further material evaluation, the design team incorporated a new metal mesh glass developed by SEFAR (Switzerland). Simulations indicated that, compared to standard Low-E glass, the 50% and 30% light-transmitting versions reduced annual HVAC energy use by 6.1% and 8.2%, respectively, lowering carbon emissions by roughly 10–15 tons.
The research findings not only provided the client with a scientific basis for decision-making but were also compiled into a paper presented at the 17th Advanced Building Skins Conference (ABS) in Switzerland, and publicly reported by JJP at a seminar in Bern in October 2022.
To complement software simulations, the team tested different curtain wall materials side by side, focusing on the mesh glass’s one-way transparency in daylight. A full-scale partial building mock-up was also built to refine fabrication techniques and precision.
This combined approach of simulation and physical testing provided real-world insights, enabling designers to choose appropriate façade materials for spaces with varying privacy needs and explore the experimental potential of the curtain wall system.
In this project, the arcade (floors 1–3) uses clear white glass, as thermal load is minimal. Main office floors (3–13) feature 50% light-transmitting mesh glass, providing one-way visibility while balancing daylight and privacy. Floors above 14 use 30% light-transmitting mesh glass with roller blinds to form a dual barrier against high-altitude solar heat.
This strategy embodies the post–High-Tech sustainable design approach: architectural solutions both reflect and support how spaces are used, fostering a harmonious relationship between occupants and their environment.
To provide 2.7 m of clear ceiling height for Grade-A office spaces, the design uses a beamless slab system, compressing beams and embedding MEP services to create a smooth, uninterrupted interior ceiling. In this project, 70 cm-deep waffle beams span up to 27 m and are supported by 90 tuned mass dampers (TMDs), boosting stiffness and controlling long-span vibrations. Through integrated collaboration among architecture, structure, and MEP disciplines, the system achieves 1.5× the seismic code requirement, balancing spatial flexibility with structural safety.
Floors 14–16 use an inverted “V” with recessed curtain walls to create a circular walkway and sky garden (50% green), combining relaxation, social interaction, and well-being for employees.
The arcade, a building form combining public accessibility and practical function, is introduced along the street-level façade to connect people, provide shelter, and extend the boundaries of urban activity.
The project employs a “Y”-shaped structure to enclose the three-story-high arcade, using structural support and rhythmic variation to create a more open, fluid public interface, strengthening the interaction between the building and the street.
From the fully open lobby along Minquan East Road, pedestrians can access a secluded inner green space. Drawing on the American “pocket park” concept, a cascading water feature separates the area from urban noise, creating a serene and inviting green retreat within the city.
From High-Tech to High-System
By building on sustainable strategies such as green façades, JJP further refined the post–High-Tech approach and collaborative methods, culminating in the distinctive architectural expression of the Shanghai Commercial & Savings Bank headquarters.
項目獲獎
2025 International Design Awards(IDA) - Gold Award
2024 London International Creative Competition - Finalists
2024 Architecture MasterPrize Awards-Honorable Mention
視頻版權:JJP
圖片版權:YHLAA 、JJP
Project Information
Project Name: Shanghai Commercial and Savings Bank
Project Location: Taipei, Taiwan
Project Address Details: No. 2, Section 1, Minquan East Road, Taipei City, Taiwan
Design Period: 2014.11~2019.08
Client: The Shanghai Commercial&Savings Bank, LTD.
Design Firm: JJP Architects and Planners
Lead Designers: Joshua J.Pan, Chungwei Su
Design Team: Chris H. Chao, AIA, Wang Vincent, Martinez Rafael, Hung Chia-Yu, Tsai Chun-Chang, Su Nan-Tse, Leng Syue-Shuang, Wu Shu-Ching, Chen Hsin-Ying, Ouyang Jason C. , Chien Liang-Lin, Huang Jui-Min, Cheng Yu-Ju, Chen I-Chih, Shao Ching, Chang Chih-Hao, Huang Shih Fang, Shen Ke-Hang, Lee Chen-Yi
Structural Engineering Consultant: Envision Engineering Consultants
MEP Consultant: Heng Kai Engineering Consultants lnc.
Interior Consultant: Horizon Design
Lighting Consultant: CMA X PLCD Lighting Design
Exterior Wall Consultant: Young Wise Engineering Design.,Ltd.
HVAC Consultant: SU, TSAl, and Associates Consulting Engineers
Construction Firm: Fu Tsu Construction Co., Ltd.; Shinwu Rimou Aluminum Co., Ltd.; Schueco International KG-TW; Johnson M&E Engineering Co., Ltd.
Site Area: 2,333㎡
Building Area: 1,300㎡
Total Floor Area: 28,818㎡
Project Programs: Banking hall, Wealth Management Center, Auditorium , Conference Center, Office, Bank History Museum, Training Center, Staff Canteen
Materials Used and Brands: Metal Mesh Laminated Glass (SEFAR), Porcelain Slabs (Fiandre), Porcelain Stoneware (Italgraniti), Lightweight Gypsum Board Partition Wall (Universal Cement Corporation)
Sustainable Label: Green Building - Silver Level, Smart Building - Silver Level, Seismic Resistance Mark
Project Awards
2025 International Design Awards(IDA) - Gold Award
2024 London International Creative Competition - Finalists
2024 Architecture MasterPrize Awards-Honorable Mention