FTA: Winner of World Design Awards 2023. The project is located to the north of the Qiantang River, the mother river of Hangzhou. “Manufacturing” is the most distinctive background color in Qiantang District, different from other urban areas in Hangzhou, the special mission of Qiantang District is to build a world-class intelligent manufacturing industrial cluster. Since 2021, domestic and foreign advanced manufacturing giants have established large-scale production and research & development bases in Qiantang, and the Qiantang Science and Technology Innovation Center will become a new base for intelligent science and technology innovation ecology and future intelligent brain cultivation, as well as a new engine for national major application technologies.

Located at the intersection of the north-south and east-west traffic arteries in the region, the site will be an important urban interface in the future. Therefore, the design of the Qiantang Science and Technology Innovation Center shows an undulating cluster of buildings, the twin towers at the entrance of the west side convey the vision of facing the future and bravely standing ahead of the tide with the momentum of “two wings flying together”. The inspiration of separation of the tower facade comes from the “earth trees” formed by the running river water on both sides of the Qiantang River, which also coincides with the fine grain of electronic devices. In this way, the scientific and technological attributes of focusing on flexible electronics of Qiantang Science and Technology Innovation Center and the cultural heritage of Qiantang River tide realize integration.

In the science fiction “The Three-Body Problem”, there is an important IP image – “water drop”, which is very smooth and extremely hard. There is also a mysterious phenomenon in the field of physics called “Prince Rupert’s Drop”, in which molten glass drops naturally drop into the ice water under the action of gravity and form tadpole-shaped “glass tears”. There is also a “water drop” in Qiantang Science and Technology Innovation Center, which drops from the air to the entrance, with hollowed-out mirror stainless steel material to create a very smooth and delicate entrance image, bringing a rich “sense of the future”.  

The design pays special attention to the control of architectural details. Based on the division of modular building partitions, each of the two perforated aluminum panels is rotated to form a standard unit, resulting in a rhythmic, long scroll-like “fish scale tide” facade of the cloud gallery. The undulating shape makes the building and nature merge into one. At the same time, Qiantang Science and Technology Innovation Center is not only a “city of the future”, but also a city of humanity. The imitation wooden structure design used in parts of the building balances the warm wood, the simple construction, the modern feeling and sense of technology of metal materials.

When standing on the bank of the river, people can hear the tide, which is also the sound of the pulse of the new era. The Qiantang Science and Technology Innovation Center will gather cutting-edge technology manufacturing enterprises to help the young Qiantang District embrace a bright future.

Project Details
Firm
FTA

Architect
Jin Shangzhen

Project Name
Hangzhou Qiantang Science & Technology Innovation Center

World Design Awards Category
Office Building Concept

Project Location
Hangzhou City

Team
Huang Xiang, Gao Yanfei, Li Jiyu, Luo Yanzhao, Chen Liyan, Fang Zhaoyue

Country
China

Photography ©Credit
©FTA

FTA entered China in 2003 and has design institutes in Berlin, Germany, and Shanghai, Shenzhen, China.

As a design firm specializing in office and industrial real estate, FTA provides integrated services which include urban planning, architectural design, interior design, landscape design, consulting planning, and park operation. We aim to integrate global resources, technology, and teams and create influential industrial innovation zones.

Regarding the Chinese Industrial Park, FTA is one of the design institutions with the maximum number of design works. At the end of 2021, FTA had accumulated more than 900 design experiences and completed more than 30,000,000 square meters.

It brings value and a successful experience for clients who put high importance on the quality of the program that FTA’s focus, integrated services, and global vision.