Rising prominently in the skyline of Hangzhou, a bustling city of 9 million residents, the new main tower of Hangzhou Guoda City Plaza stands 130 meters tall. This tower is a key element in the ongoing reconstruction and expansion of Guoda City Plaza, a historic commercial hub featuring shopping centers, hotels, and office spaces. After winning the design bid, GMP Feng Gekang, Marg and Partner Architects were commissioned to lead the project.
In 2011, the West Lake Cultural Landscape was officially designated a World Cultural Heritage site. Guoda City Plaza is situated directly across from Wulin Square, in the heart of Hangzhou’s core Wulin business district. Following extensive renovation and expansion, the Guoda City Plaza Hotel and Commercial Center have been reopened. This project merges the existing hotel and shopping complex into a modernized building. Since winning the bid in 2007, GMP Feng Gekang, Marg and Partner Architects have preserved and restructured the original buildings on the site.
The newly added 28-story tower occupies a corner of the block and covers 57,500 square meters. It expands the available office and commercial spaces and introduces leisure and entertainment facilities such as cinemas and restaurants.
The office building and hotel tower face the city, aligning with the triangular shape of the plot between Yan’an Road and Tiyuchang Road. At 130 meters tall, the tower is a defining feature of Hangzhou’s skyline. Two adjacent buildings connect at the tower’s corner with a curved design: the rounded triangular Ritz Hotel and an elliptical office building, both matching in height.
To ensure a cohesive architectural composition, the new tower is connected to the existing structures by a ten-story podium. The recessed facade of this podium marks the transition between the old and new buildings. Covering nearly 18,000 square meters, the podium supplements commercial functions, including hotel and retail spaces.
The architectural design allows for flexible use of spaces, especially in the towers, which can be converted between hotel and office functions. The new buildings are accessible directly from the ground floor of the Le Deason Hotel. Inside, circulation is organized along the elliptical floor plan of the high-rise structures.
Behind the new shopping center, a pedestrian pathway provides a convenient internal link between the hotel and two main streets. Additionally, the underground level of Guoda City Plaza offers direct access to the subway system.
The architectural language of the curtain wall plays a vital role in the building’s overall aesthetic. The streamlined curtain wall envelops the entire complex, seamlessly integrating the old and new sections. The facade features a two-layer texture, with vertical box-shaped window strips that highlight a strong horizontal structural rhythm.
All construction activities are carried out alongside the ongoing operation of the shopping centers and hotels. The project is divided into multiple phases to accommodate different renovation requirements across the building, resulting in a total construction period of eight years.
Project Drawings
▲ General layout plan
▲ Plan view
▲ Plan view
▲ Plan view
▲ Sectional view
▲ Sectional view
Project Information
Design Firm: GMP
Location: Hangzhou, China
Category: Market
Design Team: Mannhard von Gekon, Nicolas Getz, Madeline Weiss
Competition Stage Project Leader: Yoon Ultraman
Competition Stage Design Team: Yang Brasco, Cai Lei, Chen Ying, Sun Yajin, Zhu Honghao
Chinese Project Management: Cai Lei (BIM Design)
Project Leaders During Implementation: Chen Ying, Fan Xiaodi, Huang Meng
Implementation Phase Design Team: Ma Haike Ames, Jiang Yi, Kong Rui, Claudius Lang, Mao Yuqi, Alexander Shuobo, Martin Cyber, Sun Yajin, Tian Jinghai, Wang Qing, Zhao Chonghan, Rui Kong, Claudius Lange, Yuqi Mao, Alexander Schober, Martin Seibel, Yajin Sun, Jiinghai Sun, Qing Wang, Chonghan Zhao
Building Area: 149,200 square meters (BIM work)
Project Year: 2019
Chinese Collaborative Design Partner: Zhejiang University Architectural Design and Research Institute Co., Ltd
Lighting Design: Hangzhou Sunlux Lighting
Owner: Zhejiang Guoda Group Co., Ltd
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