Zaha Hadid Architects has revealed the design of the Daxia Tower, to be built in the High-Tech Economic and Technological Development Zone of Xi’an, one of China’s largest inland cities with a population nearing nine million people. The tower will mark the center of Xi’an’s business district and will include offices, retail, and ancillary facilities, all designed with data analytics and behavior modeling to ensure a balanced disposition of spaces.
Situated on a 16,700 sq. m site on Jingye Road, the Daxia Tower will incorporate 127,220 sq. m of office space, along with additional functions to create a seamless integration between the new addition and the surrounding development zone. Measuring 210 meters in height, the tower presents the image of a gently curving silhouette accentuated by layers of patterned glazing. Multi-storey atriums are designed around the building to bring natural daylight into the floorplates, while the interior planted terraces take cues from the mountainside waterfalls. The integrated greenery also helps purify the air, fostering a healthier indoor environment.
The structure is also adapted to the challenges of Xi’an’s temperate continental monsoon climate. Optimized daylight and incorporated natural ventilation ensure high performance and low emissivity during the building’s lifespan. The glazed facades feature a thermal coating and insulation against low U-values to further reduce energy demand and increase efficiency. The facades also include sensors and photovoltaic panels to enable energy generation.
Related Article
"The New World Exhibition": Zaha Hadid Architects Celebrates 15 Years Working in ChinaA rainwater harvesting system is planned to create a supplementary source of non-potable water, while an integrated recycling system will treat and reuse gray water. A smart management system will monitor the energy consumption and environmental performance, as well as recognize patterns in occupancy, allowing it to adjust the interior conditions accordingly. Daxia Tower’s design targets LEED Gold certification and the highest three-star rating of China’s Green Building Program.
Recently, Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) celebrated 15 years of working in China by organizing an exhibition at the Guardian Art Center in Beijing, highlighting the studio’s approach to architecture and urban planning projects, with a heavy focus on the use of new digital design tools and technology. The internationally renowned office has also revealed the design of the Business Stadium Central in Vilnius, Lithuania, which has recently been granted planning approval. Another project designed by ZHA, the Chengdu Science Fiction Museum in China, is currently under construction and scheduled to open in time to host this year’s World Science Fiction Convention and the Hugo Awards.
Project Credits:
- Architect: Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA)
- ZHA Design: Patrik Schumacher
- ZHA Competition Project Directors: Satoshi Ohashi, Paulo Flores
- ZHA Competition Associate: Yang Jingwen
- ZHA Competition Project Architects: Saman Dadgostar, Kai-Jui Tsao
- ZHA Competition Project Leads: Aiste Dzikaraite, Feifei Fan
- ZHA Competition Team: Billy Webb, Enoch Kolo, Felix Amiss, Hualing Jiang, Ignacio Garcia Martinez, Karina Linnsen, Liyuan Gao, Mingjia Zhang, Paul Joseph, Pittayapa Suriyapee, Sanxing Zhao, Siyu Liu, Tingyu Wang, Yuxuan Zhao
- ZHA Competition Sustainability Team: Bahaa Alnassrallah, Carlos Bausa Martinez, Shibani Choudhury
- ZHA Competition AI Team: Uli Blum, Lorena Espaillat Bencosme
- Competition Visuals: ATCHAIN
