UNStudio has been commissioned to create a human-centric mixed-use destination on the waterfront of Nanjing, China. Developed by K.Wah Group, the new complex aims to enhance the working-living environment for the local community while contributing as a hub for culture and finance. The project, set along the central axis of the Hexi New District, introduces high-rise office towers, commercial and cultural functions, two serviced apartment buildings, a headquarters tower, a hotel, and various public amenities.
The new development is structured around a green corridor that also provides ample green public spaces to encourage socialization, event organization, and creativity. UNStudio’s proposal started from the concept of creating a “lifestyle waterfront community,” as a type of social organization system specific to Nanjing City’s Qinhuai River. This central waterway is enhanced through the use of riparian podiums and green terraces to encourage access to this valuable resource.
The design strategy also hopes to highlight Nanjing’s rich cultural history and its more recent embrace of contemporary art. A UCCA Centre for Contemporary Art will be introduced to form the core of the new public space for arts, serving the community and the wider public alike. The rhythmic design of the Art Center strives to reflect the creative atmosphere of the new district. The art venue is also planned to host a variety of international cultural and artistic events, exhibitions, and social activities.
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Unstudio and b720 Arquitectura Win Competition to Design and Remodel the Madrid-Chamartín Station, in SpainThe proposal integrates sustainability principles and technologies to enhance public welfare and the adaptive capabilities of the different plots. The design strategy uses active energy-saving technologies, such as natural ventilation, integrated HVAC systems, and solar photovoltaic panels mounted on roofs and facades, to lower the energy demands. Building Integrated Photovoltaic, or BIPV solutions, are dimensioned to meet the daily energy demand of the buildings and reduce operational costs. The office towers will also be built using prefabricated components and a modular supporting structure. Taking advantage of its proximity to the river, the development also introduces a rainwater management system to promote sustainable irrigation and harvesting.
UNStudio’s vision is set to realize a future-oriented, multi-purpose community, which will contribute to Nanjing’s ambitious urban development goals. The design aims to create a synergy between building scale and human scale, bringing a healthy and pleasant working, shopping, and living environment for residents, visitors, and creative professionals. The development will offer diversified value to this historical location, in terms of a new identity for the community and city. - Hannes Pfau, partner at UNStudio
Together with HKS and Gehl, UNStudio has been selected to lead the architecture and urban design of Project Connect, a major expansion project of the public transportation system in Austin, Texas, in the United States. The internationally-renown architecture office has also been awarded the project of remodeling the Madrid-Chamartín Clara Campoamor Station in Spain, in collaboration with b720 Arquitectos, and the competition for the design of a new residential district in the historical center of Iași, Romania.
Project Credits:
- UNStudio: Ben van Berkel, Hannes Pfau with Garett Hwang, Guomin Lin and Bin Fu, Alexander Meyers, Kaisi Hsu, Maya Calleja, Harshdeep Arora, Tsungyen Hsieh, Matt Burdalski, Peter Malaga, Craig Yan, Junya Huang, Yu Zhao, Yang Xu, Liang Yu, Hal Chen, Joanna Wang, Andres Monis, Lawrence Ma, with Kyle Chou, Dongbo Han, Ujjal Roy, Mimmo Barbaccia, Diego Ramirez, Ami Nigam, Wei Huang, Dmitry Seregin, Pedro Manzano Ruiz, Yufeng Tu, Zhenyu Yang, Yubang Wu
- Executive Architect: P&T Group
- LDI: Tongji Architectural Design (Group) Co., Ltd.
- MEP: WSP
- Structure Engineer: Thornton Tomasetti
- Landscape architect: AECOM
- Façade consultant: Inhabit, Hyder
- Lighting consultant: BPI
- Traffic consultant: MVA
- QS: ARCADIS
