Safdie Architects’ Raffles City Chongqing opens world's longest ‘sidescraper’
10/06/2020.
[Chongqing] China
metalocus, ANA DIOSDADO
metalocus, ANA DIOSDADO
Following eight years of design and construction, Safdie Architects is nearing completion the 22.7-acre ‘Raffles City Chongqing’ development, located in a pivotal part of city, the waterfront of Chongqing, China.
The cluster of eight skyscrapers is embedded within the chinese city’s densely developed Yuzhong district. It is mixed-use complex combines office, residential, hotel, retail, and recreational facilities.
Situated at the confluence of the Yangtze and Jialing rivers, the historically significant site was once home to the city’s most important gateway and the official imperial entrance to the city: Chaotian Gate.
Chongqing is one of the world’s fastest-growing and densest cities with a metropolitan population of over 30 million.
The cluster of eight skyscrapers is embedded within the chinese city’s densely developed Yuzhong district. It is mixed-use complex combines office, residential, hotel, retail, and recreational facilities.
Situated at the confluence of the Yangtze and Jialing rivers, the historically significant site was once home to the city’s most important gateway and the official imperial entrance to the city: Chaotian Gate.
Chongqing is one of the world’s fastest-growing and densest cities with a metropolitan population of over 30 million.
Raffles City Chongqing by Safdie Architects. Image courtesy of CapitaLand
Raffles City Chongqing by Safdie Architects. Image courtesy of CapitaLand
Raffles City Chongqing by Safdie Architects. Image courtesy of CapitaLand
Raffles City Chongqing by Safdie Architects. Image courtesy of CapitaLand
Raffles City Chongqing by Safdie Architects. Image courtesy of CapitaLand
Raffles City Chongqing by Safdie Architects. Image courtesy of CapitaLand
Raffles City Chongqing by Safdie Architects. Image courtesy of CapitaLand
Raffles City Chongqing by Safdie Architects. Image courtesy of CapitaLand
Raffles City Chongqing by Safdie Architects. Image courtesy of CapitaLand
Raffles City Chongqing by Safdie Architects. Image courtesy of CapitaLand
Raffles City Chongqing by Safdie Architects. Image courtesy of CapitaLand
Raffles City Chongqing by Safdie Architects. Image courtesy of CapitaLand
Raffles City Chongqing by Safdie Architects. Image courtesy of CapitaLand
Raffles City Chongqing by Safdie Architects. Image courtesy of CapitaLand
Raffles City Chongqing by Safdie Architects. Image courtesy of CapitaLand
Raffles City Chongqing by Safdie Architects. Image courtesy of CapitaLand
Raffles City Chongqing by Safdie Architects. Image courtesy of CapitaLand
The Crystal by Safdie Architects. Photo credit Shao Feng
Raffles City Chongqing by Safdie Architects. Image courtesy of CapitaLand
Raffles City Chongqing by Safdie Architects. Image courtesy of CapitaLand
Sketch. Raffles City Chongqing by Safdie Architects. Image courtesy of CapitaLand
Programme. Raffles City Chongqing by Safdie Architects. Image courtesy of CapitaLandg by Safdie Architects. Image courtesy of CapitaLand
Section. Raffles City Chongqing by Safdie Architects. Image courtesy of CapitaLand
Raffles City Chongqing by Safdie Architects. Image courtesy of CapitaLand
The connective tissue of cluster of skyscrapers, designed by Safdie Architects, is a tower in its own right —the structure stretches across four of the development’s eight towers, called Crystal, the world’s tallest horizontal skyscraper, is 300-meter-long (984 ft) and elevated 250 meters (820 ft) above the ground. Now, the sidetower is open to the visiting public, although the rest of the development remains much under construction.
Crystal is the next step in this development, with a phased opening of the development commenced in september 2019. After a 50 second elevator ride to the top, from the elevator, the guests walk through the horizontal skyscraper contains gardens, restaurants, a bar and event space, a residential clubhouse, an infinity pool, and a hotel lobby.
Arup was responsible for the project’s engineering, the tower-spanning tube weighs 12,000 tons.
Raffles City is the largest project Safdie Architects, the fourth collaboration with Capitaland, one of asia’s largest real estate developers.
The project shape has precedent; in 2011, Marina Bay Sands Integrated Resort opened in Singapore with a 350 meter long (1120-f) “garden skypark” on the 57th floor, that quickly became a landmark.
Crystal is the next step in this development, with a phased opening of the development commenced in september 2019. After a 50 second elevator ride to the top, from the elevator, the guests walk through the horizontal skyscraper contains gardens, restaurants, a bar and event space, a residential clubhouse, an infinity pool, and a hotel lobby.
Arup was responsible for the project’s engineering, the tower-spanning tube weighs 12,000 tons.
Raffles City is the largest project Safdie Architects, the fourth collaboration with Capitaland, one of asia’s largest real estate developers.
The project shape has precedent; in 2011, Marina Bay Sands Integrated Resort opened in Singapore with a 350 meter long (1120-f) “garden skypark” on the 57th floor, that quickly became a landmark.
More information
Architects
Safdie Architects. Lead architect.- Moshe Safdie
Collaborators
Structural Engineering.- Arup.
MEP Engineering.- Parsons Brinckerhoff.
Landscaping.- Williams, Asselin, Ackaoui & Associates.
Facade consulting.- ALT.
Signage.- Pentagram + Entro.
Lighting.- BPI (Brandston Partnership Inc.).
Interior design.- CL3 Architects Ltd., The Buchan Group.
LEED Consulting.- Arup.
Client
CapitaLand + CapitaMalls Asia.
Dates
2011-2019-2020.
Area
1,120,000 m²
Location
No.8, Jiesheng Street, Yuzhong District. Chongqing, China.
Moshe Safdie
Moshe Safdie, born in Haifa, Israel in 1938, Safdie moved with his family to Montreal in 1953. He studied architecture at McGill University, and after graduation worked with AIA Gold Medalist Louis Kahn, FAIA, in Philadelphia. He returned to Montreal to work on Habitat ’67, for Montreal’s 1967 World’s Fair, which consisted of a series of 158 stacked and terraced apartments.
Safdie then began a series of teaching posts that culminated with his appointment as the director of the urban design program at the Harvard Graduate School of Design from 1978-84. Since 1978, Safdie has been based in Boston while remaining a citizen of Israel, Canada, and the United States. Safdie established a Jerusalem office in 1970 and another in Shanghai in 2011.
Safdie then began a series of teaching posts that culminated with his appointment as the director of the urban design program at the Harvard Graduate School of Design from 1978-84. Since 1978, Safdie has been based in Boston while remaining a citizen of Israel, Canada, and the United States. Safdie established a Jerusalem office in 1970 and another in Shanghai in 2011.
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