Raffles City Hangzhou
Dutch firm UNStudio has completed a mixed-use development in the Chinese city of Hangzhou that accommodates a hotel, offices, apartments and shops, within a pair of sinuous towers connected by a podium and landscaped plaza.
Raffles City is a sustainable urban hub for living, working and leisure located in Hangzhou, one of China's most picturesque cities. Situated 180 kilometres south-west of Shanghai, Hangzhou is one of China's most prosperous cities, especially renowned for its scenic landscapes. Located in Qianjiang New Town near the Qiantang River, this mixed-use development becomes a major landmark along the green axis of the city's new CBD.
The architectural expressions throughout the building connect the combined programmes in one seamless flow. The 116,000m2 retail podium at the base of the tower begins this interconnected flow, organised as two diagonal and intersecting figure-of-eights. It accommodates retail, restaurants, leisure facilities and parking and has a direct underground connection to the metro. This wide range of mixed-use functions, not only provides residents and those working or staying in the complex with a healthy and socially integrated environment, it also ensures that programmes are active around the clock, creating a safe and lively neighbourhood for all.
