The Skygardens
Program
/ Mixed Use - OfficeLocation
/ Hangzhou, ChinaSize
/ 210,000 sqmClient
/ Westlake ElectronicsScope
/ Masterplan and ArchitectureStatus
/ on holdGiving back green to the city was one of the main focal points when designing the ‘Skygardens’ near the famous Westlake in the Chinese lake-city Hangzhou. The ‘Skygardens’ is an elegant mixed-use development of 210,000 square meters with office towers, a hotel and retail. Ten large floating roof gardens are to become the eye-catcher of the new development and are carefully scattered through the project to provide valuable public spaces and tactically break down the massing. The design of the massing and landscape of ‘Skygardens’ finds its inspiration from the tea fields and terraces of Zhejiang.
All towers, roads, fire climbing zones, parking entrances and drop-offs are strategically placed at the periphery of the site allowing for a central green heart of 10,000 square meters. A green patch in front of the site and belonging to the government is integrated in the design and merged together with the central park of the development. The landscape of the central heart gently slopes upwards towards the north allowing for retail units underneath.
A cultural exhibition pavilion in the park gives the development an even more public character.
Light colors and materials are being used for the façade. Together with the massing strategy this is giving the project a light and modern appearance. Inspiration for the facade was found in the nearby bamboo forests in Baoshi Mountain. The façade system is developed as a series of different circular aluminum tubes.