Nansha Kingboard Free Trade Zone Mixed-use Project, designed by Aedas, is located in Guangzhou, the starting point of the ancient Maritime Silk Road. The site is an elongated, irregular-shaped plot with fantastic views of the Jiaomen River and Phoenix Lake.

The architecture presents a sense of grandeur much like a gateway to the Belt and Road. The building form, a series of stacking geometric blocks, enables a diverse range of silhouettes from different perspectives and capitalises on the surrounding river and lake views. The skin is simple and elegant in contrast to the complex building form. The horizontal fins act as sun-shading devices to moderate the internal environment.

While the project is situated in a prime location with fantastic views of surrounding lake and river, the irregular-shaped plot and proximity to metro tracks pose challenges to the design. The upper portion of the building rotates by 45 degrees to maximise views and the gross floor area while meeting local setback requirements and fire codes.

Project: Nansha Kingboard Free Trade Zone Mixed-use Project

Location: Guangzhou, China

Architect: Aedas

Gross floor area: 80,762 sqm

Client: Guangzhou Zhanying Property Co., Ltd.

Completion year: 2020

Director: Ken Wai