Xixi Shenlan is a new type of incubation office building located in Zijingang Science and Technology City, part of the West Hangzhou Science and Technology Innovation Corridor. The design is driven by user needs and site context, employing a minimalist spatial language to create a space that is more than just an office. It is an open, inclusive, and diverse cultural hub that supports socializing, entertainment, living, and learning.
The incubation site, shaped as a nearly square plot, borders a clear river on its west side and is surrounded by office buildings of varying types and heights on the other three sides. As a secondary commissioned project, land use is tight and building density must not exceed the original plan. To balance the spatial and psychological needs of an incubation office, the design integrates private office spaces facing outward for privacy, alongside shared open areas oriented inward to foster communication and collaboration.
To maximize natural light, ventilation, and landscape integration, the building form is diagonally sliced three times along the site’s oblique square diagonal (northeast-southwest). These cuts include the northeast corner’s main entrance slant, a southwest upper-level setback, and a lower-level gray space connecting the internal atrium to the river landscape. This geometric approach allows the building to blend smoothly into the urban fabric while the distinctive X-shaped facade maintains the building’s unique identity.
The sustainability strategy was carefully informed by site observations of sunlight patterns and dominant monsoon wind directions in Hangzhou during summer and winter. Environmental sustainability is enhanced by two openings on the southwest corner, which improve natural ventilation in the inner courtyard, boosting comfort while saving energy.
The river landscape is integrated into the atrium, terraced layers, and interior spaces along the small square, visually connecting the building’s interior with the surrounding nature. This creates a layered landscape experience: “riverside green valley – ground green belt – central courtyard – landscape terrace.”
On the northeast side, a gently sloping entrance plaza creates a welcoming and communicative space that connects the park interface with the indoor shared areas. The water features in the courtyard and the adjacent river, combined with dynamic light and shadow, break down barriers between architecture, nature, and the city. This spatial sharing embodies the social sustainability goals of the design.
The office units are modular, composed of three types of modules with a consistent width of 4.2 m and floor height of 4.75 m, but varying depths. The generous floor height allows flexible interior layouts. These modules are connected via single-sided or internal corridors, forming an X-shaped layout in line with the air conditioning unit arrangement. Two types of curtain wall units—angled and orthogonal—are used, resulting in a clean and distinctive facade.
To achieve the distinctive X-shaped architectural form, the structure faced a significant challenge: a 29.4-meter cantilever, making it a particularly irregular seismic design. After extensive discussions, the team adopted a hybrid structural system combining a steel frame with a center-supported steel plate composite shear wall and steel reinforced concrete shear wall. The cantilevered sections are supported by steel trusses and diagonal bracing, ensuring structural stability while realizing the envisioned building form.
For environmental and cost efficiency, the structural design reused the original pile foundation where possible and incorporated the dismantlement and reuse of the original basement floor structure, all while ensuring safety.
The choice and temperature of materials were crucial to achieving the building’s refined appearance. The aluminum panels use anodizing technology, paired with triple-layer hollow Low-E ultra-white glass, providing excellent insulation and energy efficiency. This combination creates a sleek, unified facade and offers transparent, seamless connections between interior and exterior spaces.
Conclusion: Xixi Shenlan is a compelling building that reflects the designers’ deep understanding of the site, spatial sensitivity, innovative design, and construction control. Situated in Hangzhou, it explores the possibilities of a new type of incubation office building through practical application.
Project Drawings
△ Base schematic diagram
△ First floor plan
△ Second floor plan
△ Sixth floor plan
△ Eighth floor plan
△ Twelfth floor plan
△ 16th floor plan
△ Roof plan
△ Building generation diagram
△ Module analysis diagram
Project Information
Architect: GLA Architectural Design
Area: 36,416 m²
Project Year: 2022
Photographer: Yao Li
Location: Hangzhou
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