This March, the design proposal developed by GOA for the CZBANK Headquarter in Hangzhou in Qianjiang Century City was revealed to the public at the Hangzhou planning information website. The project has been under the limelight for its significant role in the development of the core zone of the Qiantang River Financial Harbor. Last July, the headquarters of CZBank in Qianjiang Century City started to invite design proposals from all over the world. Through strict screening, five architecture firms from China, Australia and the USA were shortlisted. In the end, GOA stood out because its design proposal features a combination of futuristic features and local culture elements that suits the culture and temperament of the global headquarters of China Zheshang Bank. 

CZBANK is one of the top 100 banks in the world and the only national joint-stock commercial bank headquartered in Zhejiang. Its site is located in Qianjiang Century City in Hangzhou, a vital cluster along Qiantang River with unique highlights known as the new financial center of Zhejiang Province and seated by Qiantang River and committed to developing finance, technology, commerce, trade fairs and sports. GOA’s design reinforces the extensiveness and openness of the cluster lining Qiantang River, demonstrating the corporate culture and values while forming an important part of the spectacular skyline of the southern riverbank in the future. 

With a total investment of approximately RMB 5.6 billion, the project covers a total land area of about 40,000 square meters and a total construction area of around 310,000 square meters, of which the aboveground floor area adds up to 200,000 square meters. It consists of two towers and their skirt buildings. In particular, the 54-floor northern tower intended for office purpose is 249.99 meters in height, versus the completed highest tower in Hangzhou that is 258 meters high. The 14-floor, 61-meter-high southern tower is designed as a hotel, and its skirt building is intended to support office functions. 

A Financial Landmark with the Motif of Dou, an Ancient Measuring Tool 

The project features the motif of Dou, a traditional measuring tool in line with the identity of the financial institution, to highlight the powerful yet artistic image of the headquarters. The towers are characterized by retreating platforms at different levels of varied heights, presenting a graceful, stately yet dynamic iconic image. 

Besides, the overall design concept of Dou is consistently expressed in different dimensions such as general composition, skirt building shape, main space profile, landscape texture, and architectural details.

Concept of the “Double-core” Headquarters 

To build the headquarters for a financial institution that can ensure convenient work facilities and living amenities and smooth work procedures for more than 8,000 people on a daily basis. The project is composed of a main office module of 249.99 meters high, an office service module of 24 to 60 meters, and a basic supporting module of three underground floors.

The design combines the office module with the service one by connecting a vertical work core of high efficiency and a horizontal living core promoting a healthy lifestyle through the entrance courtyard space. In particular, the efficient work core incorporates functions such as transportation and electromechanical facilities for office work inside the 136,000-square-meter tower, while the healthy living core integrates supporting services, such as meetings, training, catering, fitness, medical services and accommodation to form an eco-friendly living platform facing the river and green spaces. 

Beautiful Sceneries Create a Unique Office Experience in a Park-like Environment

The project is just a stone’s throw away from Qianjiang Century City Park, with urban green spaces of considerable sizes on its southern and northern sides. With the goal of maximizing spaces for daily activities, the design ensures that the employees can reach the ground floor during mealtime and lunch breaks with ease and can go to the park and the riversides to commune with nature during work breaks. In this sense, it sets the headquarters apart from conventional super-high office buildings and provides a park-like environment for office workers. Overall, the design makes full use of existing natural resources and incorporates green plants reminiscent of traditional Jiangnan gardens and featuring different themes into outdoor spaces of different elevations to form inviting landscapes and eliminate the boundaries between artificial and natural elements so that users can feel as if they were in a beautiful park wherever they work inside the building. 

Green Design, New Benchmark

For the project, GOA conducted in-depth research and completed a systematic design to lower energy consumption in construction materials, construction processes and maintenance systems. As a result, the design significantly increases energy conservation performance in all aspects, and the exterior walls of the main construction are made of materials that are 100% recyclable and consume only 5% of energy. Besides, the curtain walls of the main construction are prefabricated to maximize efficiency and minimize onsite pollution. The construction of the project is scheduled to start in November, 2019, and the headquarters are expected to be put into use in the second half of 2024. Then, one more magnificent “green finance” landmark will tower over the financial cluster along Qiantang River.