- Date
- 05 November 2026
Benoy took part in CADE Architectural Design Expo 2026 in Beijing on 28 October, where Wuhan Alibaba Center featured in the ‘Lighthouse’ Headquarters Architecture Exhibition. Xianbin Ni, Associate Director, was also invited as one of the exhibition’s keynote speakers and delivered a presentation titled Exploring Publicness in Wuhan Alibaba Center.
During his talk, Xianbin Ni explored headquarters are evolving from inward-looking office campuses into connected urban destinations that support both business activity and public life. He noted, ‘The next generation of headquarters buildings are no longer isolated corporate assets, but complex urban nodes embedded within the city’s fabric and capable of supporting public life.’
Presented through a physical model, the project showed Benoy’s approach to headquarters design at a time when workplace buildings are becoming more open, connected parts of the city. Designed by Benoy, from masterplanning through to full architectural design, Wuhan Alibaba Center brings together workplaces, retail, public services and landscape through a layered network of public routes and shared spaces.
CADE 2026 brought together leading design studios, building technology brands and industry speakers from across China and beyond, creating a platform for exchange across architecture, materials and construction. Benoy’s participation offered an opportunity to share its perspective on the changing role of headquarters design and to contribute to a wider conversation about the future of workplace and urban space.
Looking ahead, Benoy will continue to build on its work in headquarters-led mixed-use development and urban regeneration, with a focus on public value and human-centred design. Through projects such as Wuhan Alibaba Center, the studio continues to explore how workplace environments can connect more closely with the city and the people who use them.
