A sustainable urban center for living, working, and pleasure, Raffles City is a new development by CapitaLand that is situated in Hangzhou, which is considered to be one of the most gorgeous towns in China. The development was designed by Ben van Berkel / UNStudio. The city of Hangzhou is constantly evolving. As the architects worked on this mixed-use development, the first premise that they worked on was, “How can we use a dense, mixed program as part of a transit-oriented development to stimulate sustainable living and improve quality of life?” This premise was steeped in tradition while also looking to the future. The project is being developed with strong future ambitions, particularly in regards to sustainability, economy, and livability. The project’s goal is to create sustainable, healthy cities that offer a high quality of life, while also addressing future needs for greater efficiency and density in cities during times of rapid urbanization and growth. The development is intended to be a vibrant vertical neighborhood and transportation hub that has breathtaking views of the river and West Lake districts. It is spread out over 400,000 square meters and is comprised of two streamlined towers that are situated above a platform and a landscaped plaza. Residential units, Grade A offices, the Conrad Hotel, and a rooftop helipad are all contained within the sixty-story, 250-meter-tall highrises. On the other hand, the eleven6,000 square meter, six-story podium is home to retail, restaurants, leisure facilities, and parking, and it also features a direct underground connection to the metro. The building is constructed with a well researched combination of programs, similar to those that may be found in a decent city, that bring together a diverse variety of people via their participation. In addition to working and living in Raffles City, residents have the opportunity to stay at the hotel, pick up groceries, have a meal, engage in physical activity, see a movie, or even be married there, all within the boundaries of a single, interconnected environment. Raffles City obtains a distinct character via the design created by UNStudio, which celebrates the ‘city inside a city’ notion that is the city’s hallmark. The tower’s design incorporates a wave-like motion, which is meant to reflect the movement that occurs in the river. The energy of these concentric waves increases as they go up the vertical axis, beginning with a calmness at the base and growing up to a more energetic level. Through the use of these formal expressions, the several programs that are spread out over the building are brought together into a single harmonious flow. A significant contribution to the landscape aspect of this green city is made by the design. These two settings are brought together in a single gesture by the design of the two towers. The urban face of the structure is curved towards the environment, while the landscape aspect, on the other hand, recognizes the urban surroundings. The towers are not identical; rather, they are complimentary to one another, as if they were having a conversation. The layout of the plan is presented in the form of two figure-of-eights that connect diagonally. Each tower is situated on opposing corners, and it is composed of a “urban façade” that frames the urban corner of the site, as well as a “landscape facade” that is articulated horizontally and drops into the interior courtyards at podium level. When seen from the city park and the civic center, the main entry to the south looks to be a notable gateway. By orienting the towers in an east-west direction, the overshadowing that occurs is reduced, while the amount of daylight that reaches the houses and workplaces is increased. In the design of the tower and podium facades, diverse materials are interacted with one another. The podium facades, which are covered in a shimmering scale-like skin of aluminum tiles, reflect the activity and environment of the building in order to provide fragmented viewpoints. Located on top of the curtain wall system, the towers have an outer layer that is composed of solar shading fins that spin vertically over the surface. Besides highlighting the tower’s signature twist, they also serve to frame views from inside the building. A bright texture is added to the facade by the lines of panels, which catch the light throughout the day with their reflective qualities. Because just the outline of the building is lighted at night, the curvilinear silhouette is illuminated, which not only increases the prominence of the structure but also reduces the amount of light pollution caused by the building. A magnificent atrium serves as the focal point of the podium’s interior, both in terms of its organization and its visual appeal. It is located in the middle of the retail spine. The atrium is planned to be a spiral of overlapping levels, which results in seamless connection and vast sightlines across the various areas found inside the building. When seen from the main atrium, the towers are always visible via the skylights; yet, their appearance changes depending on where one is standing in relation to them. As the size of the flowing shapes changes from the architecture to the streamlined interior and twisting railings, this results in a seamless spatial experience – as if the outside and the inside are merging together. The design philosophy of UNStudio is based on the idea that sustainability should be approached in an inclusive manner. By incorporating natural ventilation, solar gain and daylighting principles that are tailored to the local context, efficient structure, and the ways in which materials are employed, all of these elements work in harmony with one another to reduce the amount of energy and materials that the building requires. Gold LEED accreditation was awarded to Raffles City Hangzhou, which is the first shopping mall in China to make extensive use of natural ventilation and to acquire this particular certification. A dynamic, continuous, and round-the-clock cycle of activity that fosters public involvement and engagement is created by the program mix, which takes into consideration the concept of social sustainability. It is recommended that you visit www.indiaartndesign.com for visuals. Urban development, infrastructure, architecture, green construction, sustainability, and building design are some of the topics that are covered in related articles. This article should be sent to a friend! 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