Greatwall Complex Wuhan, China
The Greatwall Complex comprises twin towers which are linked by four floors of podium located in the financial center of Wuhan, China. It provides a world-class workplace and retail facilities, a vibrant public realm, and a high-performance, sustainable building. A main focus of the development and design team and the local government was to maximize the potential of the podium spaces and their relationship with the streetscape of Zhongbei Road. Through a series of open, terraced spaces, the pedestrian realm of the street was extended up and across the podium. The new public spaces offer diverse amenities, including restaurant terraces, art sculptures, a “water curtain wall,” multimedia roof garden, and amphitheater. The initial brief was for a standard retail mall podium; however, the clients’ vision was for a “destination” public space. The optimum solution defined a new civic space right in front of the building, connected through a series of processional ramps to a roof garden on the podium. The processional ramp allowed all retail establishments to open up to a new raised ground level, thereby maximizing leasable value for the client. The ramp also presents a unique pedestrian experience in Wuhan, presenting the opportunity to partake of dining opportunities and public art while looking back across the city from a raised elevation. The sculpted form of the podium works in harmony with the two towers rising above. The relationship of the lower podium with the surrounding city context has been carefully considered, providing a positive addition to the streetscape, engagement with the existing urban realm, and the creation of new public space. The concept of the accessible and active façade begins with a sunken plaza at Level B1, providing sheltered external café space and access to retail space, including a supermarket and food court. The start of the journey upwards along the façade from Level 1 is defined by an amphitheater space facing south, which provides
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Completion Date: June 2016 Total Land Area: 22,000 sq m (236,806 sq ft) Total Building Area: 8,505 sq m (91,547 sq ft) Total Open Area: 13,495 sq m (145,259 sq ft) Total Hardscape: 4,600 sq m (49,514 sq ft) Owner/Developer: Greatwall Construction Holdings Group Co. Ltd. Urban Planner: 10 DESIGN Architects: 10 DESIGN (design); Citic Wuhan Architectural Design Institute (architect of record) Landscape Architect: 10 DESIGN Structural Engineer: Citic Wuhan Architectural Design Institute (engineer of record) MEP Engineer: Citic Wuhan Architectural Design Institute (engineer of record) Project Manager: DTZ Debenham Tie Leung Main Contractor: China Construction Third Engineering Bureau Co., Ltd.
external seating space all year round for the public, and performance space during the weekends. The transition between each level is articulated by grand “stair spaces,” animated by terraced garden spaces and art installations. The destination of the public route along the façade is a lush rooftop garden located at Level 4, activated by adjacent retail space. The garden, demarcated by a green wall set against the smooth backdrop of the building, is an interactive environment, providing space for art exhibitions and performances. The principal aim of the urban design was to create a new dynamic and iconic working environment for Wuhan, which would attract high end tenants, facilitate the ongoing regeneration of the district, and raise the profile of the recently designated financial core of Wuhan.
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Above: The intersection of ramps provides a definitive look for the project's streetscape. Below: This diagram shows the relationship of the ramps to the overall landscape and building positioning strategy. Opposite Top: The ramp scheme adds a playful, topographical element to the tower-and-podium model, enhancing the public realm. Opposite Bottom: The approach to the podium directs pedestrians through a landscaped area toward the start of the ramp.
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The ramp system provides a new civic space right in front of the building, connecting to a roof garden on the podium.
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