China Merchants Shekou Xi’an Silk Road Center
One of the Top 10 Headquarters Projects at Xi’an Olympic Sports Center
Located in Xi’an International Port Area
The Xi’an International Port Area serves as the primary hub for integrating into the Belt and Road Initiative and establishing a new openness model. It is the core zone for developing a new eastern center in Xi’an and acts as the main battleground for welcoming comprehensive urban development and building a national central city. By layering logistics, global economy, and Olympic sports advantages, the area is continuously refining its industrial layout. It is rapidly becoming a focal point for five key industries: port trade, modern logistics, new finance, e-commerce, and cultural & sports health.
▲ China Merchants Shekou Xi’an Silk Road Center
Situated in a prime location within the Xi’an International Port Area, the Xi’an Olympic Sports Center was designed from the outset to go beyond just serving urban sports needs. It carries broader responsibilities—while a city may have multiple bustling commercial hubs, there is only one Olympic Sports Center. Its completion will undoubtedly accelerate the area’s and even the entire city’s development.
As the 100-day countdown to the 14th National Games opening approaches, tens of thousands of workers are tirelessly building around the Olympic Sports Center, overcoming challenges and continuously setting new records for “Xi’an Speed”. The China Merchants Shekou Xi’an Silk Road Center project, designed by Sanyi and a key feature of the Games, is now entering its final sprint.
#1. The “Olympic Effect”
With the topping out of the top ten headquarters buildings, the prototype of the Olympic Sports New City has largely taken shape.
▲ Xi’an Olympic Sports Center Planning Rendering
Completed and operational since July last year, the Xi’an Olympic Sports Center has hosted numerous national fitness events. As the main venue for the National Games, it has become a focal point for the era. The top ten headquarters and major supporting projects around the center have sparked widespread enthusiasm.
▲ Xi’an Olympic Sports Center © CreatAR
The top ten headquarters projects around the Xi’an Olympic Sports Center involve 8 enterprises across 11 plots. They include 13 super high-rise buildings ranging between 140 and 160 meters in height, and 17 high-rise buildings under 100 meters, covering a total built area of 2.1 million square meters. The China Merchants Shekou Xi’an Silk Road Center project spans approximately 60 acres with a total construction area of about 298,000 square meters. The design includes six buildings with podiums, featuring two 144-meter super high-rise office towers. It is set to become a landmark in the International Port Area. With the development around the Olympic Sports Center, the top ten headquarters buildings have topped out, and the Olympic Sports New City concept has effectively taken form.
▲ Early construction photos near the Olympic Sports Center
The Xi’an Olympic Sports Center is planned not only to meet national sports competition needs but also to host various sports events, concerts, and theatrical performances after the Games. This will transform the area into a multifunctional cultural, sports, entertainment, and leisure hub, making it a “cultural+” complex zone in Xi’an’s post-National Games era.
#2. The “Gate of the Central Axis”
Olympic Sports Wings: Twin Super High-Rise Towers
The Olympic Sports Center Axis Ecological Park lies at the heart of the center, stretching 7.2 kilometers in length and up to 330 meters wide from north to south. It includes 86,000 square meters of ground landscaping and 217,000 square meters of garden green space. The China Merchants Shekou Xi’an Silk Road Center’s two plots are located on the northern and southern wings of the ecological park’s main axis. The buildings are symmetrically arranged along this axis, serving as the “wings” of the Olympic Sports area and complementing the ecological park design.
▲ Aerial Rendering
▲ Design Sketch
The twin towers stand 144 meters tall each and are symmetrically positioned within a three-building complex, separated by a landscaped belt. This design breaks away from traditional architectural styles and emphasizes the city’s dynamic economic era. The buildings are connected via an L-shaped aerial corridor, creating a spatial form that frames the Olympic Games. This symbolizes both a warm welcome and the gateway image of Xi’an.
▲ Design Sketch
▲ Three-building architectural complex
▲ The buildings are linked by an L-shaped aerial corridor
▲ The design symbolizes the welcoming gateway
The overall design adopts a modern, minimalist style with a clean, elegant facade. Inspired by Xi’an’s rich historical and cultural heritage—its city walls, gates, and waterways—the design features several glass cube structures. These modern elements give the buildings a contemporary feel. The design employs three-dimensional spatial concepts and ecological elements, creating a dynamic top-to-bottom environment where natural greenery integrates seamlessly. This symbolizes growth emerging from the land. By connecting memories of the city walls and the Silk Road, the architecture bridges thousands of years of history with modern design, emphasizing humanity and nature to build future cities that resonate emotionally.
▲ Multiple glass cube buildings
Upon completion, the project will offer a diverse mix of functions including commercial offices, star-rated hotels, boutique apartments, and specialty retail. The northern plot will house the NOVOTEL Business Hotel, part of the Accor Group, featuring approximately 240 rooms along with a full-service restaurant, executive lounge, meeting rooms, and a gym. The project will feature top-tier amenities designed to create an exclusive cloud club experience in the port area and eastern city, enabling visitors to enjoy premium views and leisure within the Olympic Sports zone. Across the north and south plots, about 12,000 square meters of commercial space will provide immersive, trendy experiences seamlessly integrated with the architecture and natural surroundings. The commercial offerings include quality dining, upscale retail, and entertainment options. The South Block commercial street will connect directly with Metro Lines 3 and 14, fostering vibrant, high-quality neighborhoods.
▲ Business Office
▲ Star-Rated Hotels
▲ Boutique Apartments
▲ Commercial Block
The China Merchants Shekou Xi’an Silk Road Center is set to become a key supporting facility near the Xi’an Olympic Sports Center. Aligned with the Olympic Sports Center and other major public buildings in the area, it will help establish an international urban image and contribute to a new chapter in the millennium-old city of Xi’an.
#3 Project Status
The super high-rise buildings have topped out, with lighting control scheduled for completion by the end of this month.
▲ China Merchants Shekou Xi’an Silk Road Center
With the opening ceremony of the 14th National Games scheduled for September 15th, the project is now in its final critical phase. Recently, the China Merchants Shekou Xi’an Silk Road Center reached a milestone with the structural topping out of its two 144-meter super tall towers at the end of April—following the topping out of 400-meter buildings earlier.
▲ Structural topping out of super high-rise towers © Entrepreneurial Architecture
Since construction began in August last year, the project achieved full structural topping out within just 9 months. The exterior facade and curtain wall installation are now underway and expected to be completed by the end of this month, alongside synchronized lighting control with the Olympic Sports Center.
▲ Project site photos
▲ Construction site photos © Entrepreneurial Architecture
▲ Project site images
▲ Rendering of China Merchants Shekou Xi’an Silk Road Center
Project Information
Project Name: China Merchants Shekou Xi’an Silk Road Center
Project Type: Urban Complex
Location: Xi’an International Port Area
Site Area: 40,005㎡
Total Floor Area: 298,191㎡
Floor Area Ratio: 5.0
Design Period: April 2019 – November 2020
Construction Period: March 2020 – November 2022
Developer: China Merchants Shekou Xi’an Company
Design Firm: Shanghai Sanyi Architectural Design Co., Ltd.
Lead Architect: Lu Xiaogang
Project Leaders: Jiang Wenjun, Sun Jingya
Design Team: Jiang Wenjun, Sun Jingya, Wu Wenxuan, Lu Yiting, Wang Tao, Zhang Liyun, Han Zeyu, Tao Lulu, Pan Ruyue, Chen Yuli, Liu Henglin, Liu Wanchen, Liu Pinxi, Zhang Jian, Chen Yifan
Technical Support: Wang Xiaohong, Wang Fang, Qian Fang, Zhao Bin, Hu Wenxiao, Chen Ying, Ju Yongjian, Jiang Hong, Xiong Jingfeng, Ding Beili, Peng Donghua, Chen Zhe
Collaborators:
Landscape Design: Shanghai Riqing Architectural Design Co., Ltd.
Interior Design: Yang Bangsheng (Novotel Hotel)
Interior Design: JIAI Interior Design Shanghai Co., Ltd. (Office)
Interior Design: Shenzhen Youlian Zhihe Environmental Art Design Co., Ltd. (Apartment)
BIM Design: Chengdu Benchmark Fangzhong Architectural Design Co., Ltd. Xi’an Branch
Construction Drawing Design: Chengdu Benchmark Fangzhong Architectural Design Co., Ltd. Xi’an Branch
Curtain Wall Design: Shanghai Qishi Construction Engineering Consulting Co., Ltd. (North Plot)
Foster Engineering Consulting Co., Ltd. (South Plot)
Lighting Design: Beijing Tsinghua Tongheng Planning and Design Institute Co., Ltd.
Construction Contractors: Chongqing Yufa Construction Co., Ltd.
Zhengwei Technology Group Co., Ltd.
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