Location: Nanjing, China.

Architect: MAD architects.

The “Nanjing Zendai Himalayas Center” is a mixed-use development project designed by MAD Architects, led by Ma Yansong. The project aims to restore the balance between humanity and nature by integrating contemplative spaces that immerse inhabitants in nature while still providing modern-day conveniences. The development has an overall building area of approximately 560,000 sqm, comprising commercial, hotel, office, and residential programs. The design features a village-like community of low-rise buildings connected by footbridges, with curving, ascending corridors and elevated pathways weaving through the commercial buildings. The project also includes mountain-like towers with white, curved glass louvres that reflect Nanjing’s surrounding mountain ranges and meandering rivers. Water features, such as ponds, waterfalls, brooks, and pools, connect the buildings, while trees and rich plantings create a rich, architectural landscape.

Photo credit: CreatAR Images, MAD Architects.