Location: Guangzhou, China.

Architect: Benoy.

A new development in Guangzhou’s Liwan district is set to become a new urban destination for the city. The development will feature office towers, retail, residential, and a large waterside landscape with a total area of 1,254,000m2. The site was previously used as a key shipyard in the city, and the scheme aims to evoke the memory of the area’s industrial heritage through a new mixed-use, retail and cultural experience for the community. The masterplan brief aimed to improve and enhance transportation links and accessibility both aboveground and below ground. The retail language for the development was also an important consideration in the design brief. A unique retail experience has been embedded in various ways, including small-scale terraced shopping streets, retail zones alongside the T-shaped landscape belt, and a unique underwater retail zone that was born out of the renovation of the shipyard docks. The T-shaped landscape belt serves as the spine to the site, highlighting the plot with its horizontal and vertical connections. The waterfront landscape has two kilometers of riverside promenade that aims to provide a new landmark that adds to the natural landscape, historical memory, and industrial remains. Revitalizing the shipyard docks was another important aspect of the design. The twelve office towers have been classified into three different groups: the High-Tech office tower group, the 5A High-End tower group, and the Riverside tower group. The first group features technology and industrial-based businesses, while the second tower group is targeted towards high-end quality work space. The final tower group is located next to the riverside and features specially organized pixelating boxes embedded into the façade, creating a unique boutique work environment.