Architect：Aedas

Location：Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China; | ;

Category：Exhibition Centres;Offices;Cultural Centres

Wenzhou is planned to be one of the global high-tech cities by establishing Wenzhou Innovaland. The start-up zone integrates technology, financial, wellness and education, creating a mixed-use innovative hub in Wenzhou. Aedas Executive Director Yaochun Wen and Global Design Principal Dr. Andy Wen have jointly led the team to create a pioneering space in the zone.

Embraced by adequate mountains and rivers, an ecological belt is designed around the zone with a spectacular landscape view. Located in the heart of Qidudao, it is set to be a people-oriented livable zone that connects the residences with mixes-use functionalities. Aedas Executive Director Yaochun Wen further explained the design, “We hope to create a humane workplace for scientists and enterprises, which is connected to the diverse leisure space with local cultural context.”

Inspired by the connection between city and rivers, the design adopts an “Island Chain” concept. Rivers have shaped the vibrant waterfronts and weaved the islands, providing a synergy effect among R&D spaces, offices and public services to Wenzhou Innovaland.

A dynamic workplace environment offers flexible offices for different enterprises. The high-rise office tower stands at the end of the major road. The vertical connection inside the tower integrates office area with the exterior. Garden office blocks are arranged in a jagged form along the river. The porosity connects the blocks with the outdoor terrace, courtyard and waterfront walkways. A riverside promenade and retail street are perfectly created whereas the architecture merges with the nature.

Three inter-connected office buildings offer flexible workplaces for workers. Retreating architectural form maximises the glass façade and outdoor terraces, injecting sufficient natural light and landscape view to the interiors. Courtyards provide a waterfront piazza within the buildings, which enhances the communication and connectivity in the zone.

An iconic art centre is placed at the entrance where it provides an aesthetic and open space for cultural and business use. The exhibition centre in the middle accommodates large-scale conferences, exhibitions and events. Inspired by the seashells, the exhibition centre has a vivid architectural form and an ascending pathway that links zonings with different heights. A riverside performance stage further extends to the nature, gathering the circulation as an urban living room to provide a spacious leisure and entertainment area. The stage well-connects the buildings and the developments in the vicinity through pedestrian bridges.

Aedas Global Design Principal Dr. Andy Wen summed up, “By integrating technology, culture and nature on the Wenzhou Innovaland, we hope to design a diversified urban garden for the start-up zone which will be advanced into a global high-tech hub in the future.”

* This competition design plan is subject to change in later implementation stage.

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