CAPOL INTERNATIONAL & ASSOCIATES GROUP GUANGZHOU BRANCH: Winner of International Residential Architecture Awards 2025. This project is located in the old city center of Huangpu District, Guangzhou, south of Dashadi East Road in Hongshan Street, and north of Shuangsha Metro Station on Line 5. The project is adjacent to Longtoushan Forest Park to the north and overlooks the Pearl River to the south. It boasts convenient transportation and mature supporting facilities, and is situated at Shuangsha Station on Guangzhou Metro Line 5. The planned land area is 50,415 square meters, with a plot ratio of 2.17% and a green space ratio of 35.26%

Against the backdrop of the Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) model gradually becoming the new engine of urbanization in China, the development of the new generation of TOD communities emphasizes the connection and integration of “stations, cities, people, and ecological life”, presenting an evolution of urban life that integrates localization and modernization, with a weave of multi-dimensional activity scenarios. The “Guangzhou Metro Longjian Shangcheng” project aims to create a “livable forest in the sky” above the tracks, suitable for both living and working.

A mountain, a city, two faces

The project is situated adjacent to Longtoushan Forest Park to the north and overlooks the Pearl River to the south. As a super community located above Shuangsha Station of Guangzhou Metro Line 5, it aims to create an integrated, high-end composite city in the core area of Huangpu, encompassing “metro + industry + commerce + city + residence + people”. The project aims to fully leverage the efficient comprehensive transportation hub capacity and achieve integrated comprehensive development. It depicts the city’s latest “evolution theory”, which advocates for a three-dimensional lifestyle in an efficient city, where people are at the forefront of the ideological trend, enjoying the convenience while also appreciating the beauty of nature and art.

Metro Link City · Comprehensive Development

In the exploration of the first TOD4.0 project in Old Huangpu, Guangzhou, only a small triangular plot of land to the south of Longjing Shangcheng Phase I can directly connect to the municipal infrastructure. A significant portion of the pedestrian traffic throughout the entire area needs to be diverted through this area to the subway station. The pedestrian-oriented public transportation space has undergone multiple generations of evolution, presenting a rich and diverse appearance. It strives to integrate the homecoming experience from the moment the owner exits the gate, with commercial facilities combined with a rain-free design for the entire homecoming area.

The garden at the foot of the mountain – between the virtual and the real, without boundaries between inside and outside

The project demonstration area is located at the foot of Longtou Mountain, avoiding road noise. “Seeing the mountain without seeing the road” has become an important topic for the project. The design team achieved precise sight management through overall elevation of the floor and barrier scenery, ultimately creating a feeling of seeing the entire mountain scenery at a glance.

Sliding boxes and misplaced geometry. “Longjie Shangcheng” presents a more rich and dynamic field context. Between the virtual and the real, there is no boundary penetration. We break down the boundaries between architecture, landscape, and interior, in pursuit of a three-dimensional garden-like urban space under the modern geometric framework.

The natural extension of the essence of life comes from the endless flowing scenery that stretches as far as the eye can see. Walking through the interconnected courtyards, one can see the gleaming french windows that seem to have no boundaries. Looking down, one can see the pure mirror-like pool. Looking around, one can see the lush green trees interspersed on both sides. This enclosed and serene environment, where one can swim, feel, and observe, accompanied by the gurgling water, gradually brings out the poetic beauty of life.

The demonstration area is adorned with luxurious stones, each carefully selected. Meanwhile, starting from a deconstructed vocabulary, we reinterpreted the concept of “surface”, combining blocks with various elements such as stone, metal, plants, and even light, and handcrafting them before naturally incorporating them into various scenes in the demonstration area.

Ultimate boundary-breaking · Infinite penetration

Faced with a narrow strip of land, and with the reserved conditions already limiting the space for the building to a barracks-style layout, the design team maximized the break between the covered and open spaces, extending and integrating the central courtyard landscape of the community to the fullest extent. Under stringent conditions, they achieved a 100-meter building spacing, ultimately forming a central axial sky courtyard extending nearly 300 meters from east to west, creating a high-quality residential community where every unit faces south.

“The Last Mile Home · City Walk”

The expansive city unfolding towards the mountain is connected by a 9m-wide main axis running east to west, serving not only as a shelter from the rain and wind but also as a source of infinite vitality for life. Commercial areas, public facilities, schools, kindergartens, and the main entrances of residential areas are all spread out along this road, creating a multi-layered, three-dimensional space that realizes a diverse range of living scenarios and defines the future community.

The innovative public circulation system for returning home has facilitated bidirectional separation of pedestrians and vehicles on a city scale. The 16m slab is divided into three large clusters based on the groupings, reducing the massive scale of the slab to the scale of urban blocks. This not only makes life more convenient but also integrates the project better into the original scale of the city. Multiple north-south vertical nodes for returning home are arranged at 0m, stitching and connecting urban micro-transportation, addressing the pain point of traditional vehicle depot projects that fragment the city.

Stereoscopic integration · Poetic stroll

The so-called “smoke and fire atmosphere” has always been an abstract expression of authenticity and simplicity, representing a harmonious scene of diverse lifestyles coexisting and blending together, embodying inclusiveness, understanding, and respect. The design team hopes that through the intervention of the project, they can create a more grand and dense smoke and fire atmosphere in a more open and three-dimensional manner.

When commuting becomes a daily poetic stroll, emotions can spread freely in space, bringing a sense of joy and relaxation. Different volumes and functions extend and overlap in both vertical and horizontal directions. During the journey, seeing different aspects of life naturally becomes an expression of the city, showcasing the container of urban life.

More than just basic needs · More than just elegance

Living here, you can spend less money and buy more freedom and happiness.

In a city like Guangzhou, which is characterized by high capacity and high density, a plot ratio of 2.17 can bring more possibilities for products. The design team comprehensively considers the emotional and personalized needs of residents, with each layout reflecting the ultimate pursuit of a south-facing wide space. The actual utilization rate of each layout reaches over 130%.

The 74㎡ product has received high praise in the market. Through clever “space equality” design, it achieves natural lighting freedom, creating a comfortable three-bedroom two-bathroom layout within the limited area. The embedded mini-bar brings a pleasant living experience, igniting the small-unit market in Huangpu District.

The 94㎡ unit is designed as a comfortable 4-bedroom, 2-bathroom layout, with dimensions comparable to a 110㎡ unit. The 4m spacious living room design pursues the ultimate integration of LDK, and is equipped with a 6.6m floating light balcony. The same “spatial equality” brings a new spatial experience to small units.

The 125㎡ product is benchmarked against the conventional 143㎡ layout in the market, featuring a 17㎡ independent entrance with a fully illuminated elevator lobby, providing a comfortable experience upon entering the spacious residence. The design of 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, and 2 suites fully meets the needs of multi-person households. The 5.4m LDK spacious living room boasts double balconies facing north and south, equipped with an 8.3m ultra-long balcony, satisfying the family’s leisure and household needs. The 5-fixture luxury master bathroom offers an extraordinary living experience. Guangzhou Metro Longjing Shangcheng Project, in collaboration with Huayang International and Guangzhou Metro, is based on the TOD (Transit-Oriented Development) model, integrating “metro + industry + commerce + city + residence + people”. It aims to build a super community above Shuangsha Station of Metro Line 5 in the core area of Huangpu!

Project Details:-
Firm
CAPOL INTERNATIONAL & ASSOCIATES GROUP GUANGZHOU BRANCH

Architect
Weiji Zhu

Project Name
Guangzhou Metro Longyue Shangcheng

Project Category
Residential Under Construction

Team
Zhanyu Zou，Xin Qian，Weiji Zhu，Ruixue Shen，Shi Chen，Ming Zhou，Mingliang Zhou，Kangjia Du，Nuo Xu，Lianming Zhao， Ranxi Kong

Project Location
Guangzhou, Guangdong, China

Country
China

Photography ©Credit
©Isle Photography

CAPOL INTERNATIONAL & ASSOCIATES GROUP GUANGZHOU BRANCH

CAPOL International & Associates Group (CAPOL, stock code 002949), founded in 2000 and headquartered in Shenzhen. CAPOL was listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange on February 26, 2019, now CAPOL has about 4000 employees. CAPOL INTERNATIONAL & ASSOCIATES GROUP GUANGZHOU BRANCH (CAPOL GZ) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of CAPOL, and has been recognized as a national high-tech enterprise.The comprehensive business covers planning, design, cost consultation, prefabricated building, BIM technology research, manufacturing, construction, whole-process engineering consultation, agent construction and general contracting.