The Alibaba Jiangsu Headquarters in Nanjing, China has been shortlisted for the Future Projects Commercial category at the WAN Awards.
The World Architecture News Awards (WAN Awards) is one of the largest, most diverse architectural awards programmes in the world. Now in its twelfth year, the awards are an opportunity for architects and designers to showcase projects from around the world to their peers and offer a worldwide stage to celebrate excellent international design with other leading professionals.
Trevor Vivian, Global Director at Benoy, shares:
“Benoy are delighted to be shortlisted WAN Awards 2020. Thanks to the exceptional vision of our client Alibaba, the talented design team at Benoy were able to create a pioneering showpiece of innovative technology which connects people, places, data and experiences in unprecedented ways.”
The Alibaba Jiangsu Headquarters project is a major mixed-use development located in Nanjing, China. It has a total GFA of 850,000 m² and is due for completion in 2023. The client envisioned a full-service campus that embodies collaboration between Alibaba and its business partners within a holistic ecosystem: a pioneering showcase to display its innovative technology; a community for end-users and service providers; and a network to seamlessly integrate the digital and physical worlds.
The Ali Hub is the starting point of the journey. Mimicking a CPU plugged into a motherboard, it serves as the engine for the whole network, with four bridges connecting the disparate campus components. The architecture facilitates the reduction of CO2 emissions by integrating with cutting-edge logistics technology. Across the campus, self-driving electric vehicles traverse the bridges, transporting both goods and people between plots. The campus buildings are strategically positioned along a diagonal axis, maximizing sunlight penetration.
The descending structure height also enhances energy savings while increasing visibility and luminosity. The setting, meanwhile, corresponds to and complements the neighbouring developments. Multiple green squares and a sunken plaza create a pleasant and ecologically rich environment, providing a seamless and harmonious interface with the surrounding city. Transcending architecture in the traditional sense, the Alibaba project is better described as a well-designed network, connecting people, places, data and experiences in unprecedented ways. It sets a new benchmark for mixed-use, smart city projects, and provides a compelling vision for the campus of the future.
Transcending architecture in the traditional sense, Benoy closely collaborated with the client to create a physical manifestation of a well-designed network, and sets a new benchmark for smart city projects and provides a compelling vision for the campus of the future.
