In 2018, Archi-Tectonics NYC and !Melk were announced as the winners of a competition to develop a masterplan transformation for the Hangzhou Asian Games Park 2022. Spanning 116 Acres, the now-completed project includes an expansive Eco Park and seven buildings. Although its initial purpose was to serve as a venue for the Hangzhou Asian Games 2022, the team extended its vision far beyond this event, charting a new path for the city’s environmental future.
The design aims to rethink Hangzhou’s ecological future. Following a “Sponge-City” landscape approach, the project established a hilly oasis intended for year-round recreational use. In fact, the oasis acts as a green lung, revitalizing the local ecosystem. Interestingly, the project has received the “Green Building Evaluation Label 3 Star”, equivalent to LEED Platinum certification in China. Completed in under three years, the BIM modeling efforts resulted in significant steel construction costs saved and a 20% reduction in construction time.
The project includes 7 new environmentally friendly buildings, which were built into the layout for the Asian Games. After completing the games, the buildings will be converted into communal spaces. In addition, natural reserves, walking paths, water features, playgrounds, and varied landforms were designed. These features are designed using sustainable infrastructure, such as restoring wetlands, installing porous pavement, and integrating stormwater management techniques. The master plan's concept included 64,000 sqm of green roofs, intended to remove 114,846 kg of carbon dioxide annually.
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MVRDV Transforms a Former Oil Refinery into an Energy-Neutral Cultural Park in Hangzhou, ChinaWe designed the park as an agent of environmental change in the city. It sets a new standard for Hangzhou as a greener, more resilient city. Future urban masterplans will look to it as a model of sustainable density. -- Winka Dubbeldam, Founding Partner of Archi-Tectonics.
During the Hangzhou Asian Games 2022, taking place from 23 September to 8 October 2023, the park will be the hub where spectators gather. Once the Games end, the masterplan is set to become the neighborhood green space, with a mix of activities ranging from kayaking, running, hiking, and skateboarding. The master plan scheme accommodates the city’s population and all age groups. This green space seamlessly integrates into Hangzhou’s existing urban fabric and infrastructure, providing greenery to the crowded city.
The scheme puts in place two sports arenas, the Field Hockey Stadium, and the Hybrid Table Tennis Stadium, at opposite ends of the one-mile site. The park is divided by a road and a river, and to bridge the gap between these two segments, a concept known as 'Valley Village' was conceived. This idea is a vital link between the park's two halves, creating a social access route.
Additionally, The Valley Village Mall is envisioned as a sunken green valley adorned with circular glass shopping pavilions. On either side of the shopping area, two parking garages are interconnected underground to facilitate delivery access. The Village Valley Mall features shops, eateries, coffee shops, stalls, and open-air communal spaces, establishing it as the vibrant heart of the park. In fact, each individual store pavilion is crowned with green roofs, improving water retention, and expanding the overall green landscape. These green roofs also provide spaces for visitors to unwind, picnic, and immerse themselves in the natural surroundings.
Excavating the wetlands and the Valley Village to connect the two halves of the park made it possible to transform the formerly flat site into a landscape that now rises more than 20m above grade without adding additional soil. Following a “zero-earth” strategy to reduce the environmental impact of soil removal, several of these new hills operate as natural preserves, promoting biodiversity. Beneath the landscape, all the buildings and stadiums are connected by a 68,000 sqm network of underground passageways, a theater, and parking spaces.
Finally, the design embraces the Sponge City concept, integrating a network of water features that improve the site's hydrology and introduce recreational opportunities. For example, an artificial river runs through the area alongside the Village Valley as an aqueduct, providing a pathway for VIP access during the games. This river also plays a vital role in the wetland systems, effectively managing stormwater runoff and counterbalancing the impact of new construction. Additionally, it serves as a kayaking route and adds a picturesque element, complemented by the nearby hills and the Village Valley Mall. Within the river, islands have been incorporated to create a swifter current, naturally purifying the water and increasing its oxygen levels.
Hangzhou is the capital and most populous city of the Zhejiang Province in East China. Recently, MVRDV has been chosen to design the Hangzhou Oil Refinery Factory Park, an extensive project aiming to transform the former industrial district into a cultural center set in a green environment. Also, Herzog & de Meuron unveiled their design for The Grand Canal Museum Complex in Hangzhou, China, reflecting on the importance of this area in Chinese cultural landscapes. Finally, ASPECT Studios just won the international competition for Alibaba’s Headquarters Campus Project in Hangzhou.
