The Euro American Innovation City is at a vibrant, mixed-use development, located at the heart of the Central Business District in Hangzhou. The site is part of the city’s wider masterplan, increasing the number of cultural, commercial, and residential buildings along a ‘cultural landscaped axis.’ The 346,450 square-metre development comprises of two office towers, four residential towers, a public plaza and an IT incubator with a retail mall on the lower levels. A uniform podium connects the buildings with a ribbon of retail and public amenities.
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Gold 🏆 Winner
Global Future Design Awards 2023
The Euro American Innovation City (EIC)
Mixed-Use Architecture (Under Construction)
Firm
Foster + Partners
Architect/Designer
Foster + Partners
Design Team
Foster + Partners
Project Location
Hangzhou, China
Country
United Kingdom
Photographer/Copyright
©Foster + Partners
Social Media Handles
Facebook: Foster + Partners
YouTube: @foster-partners
Instagram: @fosterandpartners
Twitter: @FosterPartners
Website URL
www.fosterandpartners.com
The slender towers are softened by 45-degree chamfer corners, creating view corridors into the development from the surrounding streets. The scheme is unified by a refined palette of high-quality materials, including stainless steel and GRC panelling.
The two 200-metre-high office towers are adjacent to the Qiantang River and form a striking gateway to the complex. The development is permeable with multiple layers of access across four levels. Ground-level canopies extend outwards from the podium, indicating the various entry points to the scheme. Sheltered drop-off zones blur the lines between inside and outside, while providing direct and convenient access to the lobbies within.
The office towers attract international technology companies and deliver high-quality, flexible workspaces for government departments. A single lobby connects the bases of the towers, encouraging impromptu social interactions between workers. Within the towers, generous sky gardens and double-height green amenity areas provide a variety of pleasant breakout spaces.
Along Li’er Road, the south-facing residential towers have stepped massing, to allow more light into the development and create a dynamic skyline. The tower’s slender volumes allow for cross ventilation and increase natural light levels. Their distinctive, rounded edges set them apart from the office towers on the other side of the site. Triple-height lobbies visually connect tenants with roof gardens on the upper floors. A collection of connected amenities, including a club, spa, nursery, and pool, redefine the residents’ living experience.
A landscaped, central public plaza is the focal point of the scheme. Joining the development’s office and residential areas, the plaza provides a place for workers, residents, and the public to gather. It offers a natural backdrop for social gatherings and community events. Breathable green spaces are an important element of the scheme, improving physical and mental wellbeing in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The IT incubator is located on the north side of the plaza, at the top of the podium. It has been designed to attract emerging technology start-ups, with unique, landscaped terraces that can be viewed from the surrounding towers. Horizontally stacked planters evoke the dynamic form of the region’s tea plantations.