The first building in MVRDV's sustainable masterplan, a flower shaped landmark offering 15.000 m2 of Grade A offices, combines a strong identity with rental flexibility. The 45,000 m2 plot on the edge of Shanghai's Honqiao airport will include a total of 9 further MVRDV-designed office buildings atop an Aedas-designed underground shopping centre, and will be completed in early 2016. The Flower Building will receive a 3-star Green Building Label, the best energy performance rating available in China, and was designed by MVRDV for Sincere Property Group. The masterplan's mixed-use program includes a total of 110,000 m2 of offices, 47,000 m2 of retail space, and 55,000 m2 of parking.

MVRDV won a competition for the area's architectural design and masterplanning in 2013 against two other teams. 'The Flower Building is the landmark in our overall plan' explains MVRDV co-founder and principal architect Jacob van Rijs, 'the building is located near the entrance to a new metro station and acts as a beacon for pedestrians. The second phase of the masterplan is under construction, there we combine flexible, more generic office spaces with a village-like urban plan that offers intimacy and friendly outdoor spaces.'

Sustainable building features include high performance insulation, optimised building forms, shaded spaces, natural ventilation, rainwater collection, permeable road surfaces, links to public transport and a reduction in the urban heat island effect. All 10 buildings will also offer green roofs as a habitat for local species. MVRDV currently has three other projects under construction throughout China and in Hong Kong, all scheduled for completion in late 2015 or early 2016.