In August of this year, the SAIC Volkswagen Technology Center, designed by HPP, officially began operation, establishing Shanghai Jiading Anting International Automobile City as a world-class automotive manufacturing hub. HPP secured the design rights for the SAIC Volkswagen Technology Center in 2018, creating a modern, integrated office space that has become a landmark project within Anting International Automotive City.
As a leading force in China’s automotive industry, SAIC Volkswagen’s office complex, conceptualized by HPP, is centered around the concept of an “enterprise portal.” This architectural feature consists of interconnected north and south towers at the top. Each tower is uniquely rotated on one side, maximizing views and lending a distinctive aesthetic to the building.
The building stands 60 meters tall, covering a total construction area of 41,900 square meters across 12 floors. Spacious steps on both sides connect the building to the plaza, allowing visitors direct access to the main entrance on the second floor. The design integrates multiple functions including office spaces, leisure areas, dining facilities, and a creative center. The cafeteria on the first floor has an independent entrance, floors two through eleven house office areas, and the top floor features a virtual car showroom and creative center with panoramic views of the entire park.
The facade facing the factory area and riverbank is designed to be more open, harmonizing with the surrounding landscape. The expansive glass curtain wall reflects on the water, blending the solid structure into its environment and creating a dynamic, softened appearance.
Originally, the design featured an outdoor space between the two towers connected by four aerial bridges on the fourth, sixth, eighth, and tenth floors to facilitate communication between departments. Following the owner’s request to enclose this area, the design was adapted to include large-scale cable mesh glass curtain walls on both sides, creating a nine-story cantilevered atrium. Inside, this soaring atrium offers a spacious environment filled with a strong sense of grandeur.
The glass curtain walls employ a cable net system featuring orthogonal horizontal main cables and vertical auxiliary cables. Panels of 1,500 x 1,125 mm ultra-white, double-laminated insulated tempered glass are embedded sequentially at the grid connection points. This curtain wall design offers protection against rain and intense sunlight, regulates indoor temperature, reduces energy consumption, and enhances environmental sustainability. Compared to traditional framed glass curtain walls, the cable mesh system is more delicate and lightweight. To ensure safety, the design team adhered to stringent technical standards.
HPP also engineered a custom metal drainage system for the curtain wall, deviating from traditional outward dispersal methods. Featuring a reverse slope, the system channels rainwater inward, directing it to the ground via downspouts located on either side of the window sills. This design minimizes rainwater runoff and debris, maintaining a clean and bright exterior facade.
From a human-centered design perspective, the building’s interior features an open spatial layout, diverse functional zones, and natural color palettes. The office is divided into centralized and research & development areas. In the centralized section, a pantry has been incorporated, while the R&D area includes a creative space, both designed to enhance workplace comfort.
The centralized office area employs calm, sophisticated tones of light gray and brown. In contrast, the flexible R&D zone uses vibrant colors like orange, green, and blue to create a dynamic spatial hierarchy and invigorate the environment.
HPP’s design of the “Enterprise Portal” boldly reflects SAIC Volkswagen’s corporate identity, symbolizing its leadership in China’s automotive industry. This project supports the development of Shanghai Jiading Anting International Automobile City while enhancing SAIC Volkswagen’s automotive industry chain.
Project Drawings
△ General Layout Plan
△ First Floor Plan
△ Second Floor Plan
△ Twelfth Floor Plan
△ Standard Floor Plan
△ Elevation Drawing
△ Elevation Drawing
△ Section Diagram
△ Section Diagram
△ Structural Detail Drawing
△ Detailed Drawing
△ Design Generated Diagram
△ Structural Schematic Diagram
△ Skyline Map
△ Structural Detail Drawing
Project Information
Architectural Design: HPP Architecture Firm
Area: 41,900 m²
Project Year: 2021
Photographer: Zhang Yong
Manufacturers: Taiwan Glass Group, Fen’an Aluminum Industry, Anhui Honglu Steel Structure (Group) Co., Ltd
Partners: Jens Kump, Yu Wei
Co-partner: Gan Yuanzhe
Project Leaders: Tao Tao (Architecture), Xu Heng (Interior), Kang Yi (Landscape)
Construction Team (Bidding Stage): Wu Shouheng, Wang Lin, Wang Jingping
Construction Team (Implementation Phase): Zhou Zhixun, Wang Lin, Julian Caspar Puchmüller, Bao Weizhen, John Daniel Winstead V, Li Yaling, Yin Yanhua, Qiu Yilin
Indoor Team: Li Ling, Xie Ruohong, Li Mengyuan
Landscape Team: Xu Yaping, Cao Pei, Ni Jingjing
Owner: SAIC Volkswagen Automotive Co., Ltd
Collaboration Unit: Shanghai Architectural Design and Research Institute Co., Ltd
Structural Consultant: Schliech Engineering Design Consulting Co., Ltd
Curtain Wall Consultant: Shanghai Lewei Curtain Wall Design Co., Ltd
Location: Shanghai, China
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