GroupGSA has won the design competition for the prestigious Chongli City Centre project in Chongli, Zhanjiakou, China. Designed for use during the 2022 Winter Olympics, the dynamic new centre will also combine social, cultural and economic aspects for Chongli’s future development.

Chongli District will host the ski jumping, biathlon, cross-country and freestyle skiing and snowboarding events at the Olympics from February to March 2022. 

Named City Centre Project, the design scheme reflects the pride and collective memory of Chongli as a Winter Olympics host in perpetuity, in addition to delivering a world-class accommodation and event experience for thousands of international visitors.

The brief also called for improvements to Chongli District’s service facilities, urban public spaces, surrounding natural environment, cultural and recreational demands to enhance locals’ experience of the city.

Lead by GroupGSA designer, Alina Valcarce, GroupGSA undertook studies of the surrounding landscape, the dynamic of the sporting activities being hosted and geometries peculiar to winter precipitation. 

"A design concept evolved which captures the hexagonal features of snowflakes, the dynamic flow of the winter sports to be hosted and the curvilinear ski tracks that meander through the mountains skirting Chongli," said the archietcts.

"The built design is conceived as an extension of the landscape, integrating the identity of the district into the multitude of buildings that comprise the project."

The smooth motions of a skier and the athletic twists of a snowboarder are captured in the curves and flow of the new city buildings and connecting structures, many of which are purpose built for sporting uses during the Winter Olympics and beyond. Synthesising the geometry and dynamism of a falling snowflake, building facades captivate attention with differing countenance according to viewing perspective.

The vibrant city design harmoniously connects residential buildings, city plaza, city park, exhibition centre and Ice and Snow Museum, and commercial centre with a perpendicular snowflake-shaped sculpture to house the 2022 Winter Olympic flame, rising proudly from the epicentre of the city. 

At night, colours drawn from the iconic Olympics rings will add more life to the design and during the game, sculpture lighting will change to a deep red to create a vivid image of the Olympic flame.

Building access diagram

Access diagram-1

General diagram

Sport diagram

Sustainable diagram

GroupGSA won the WA Award in the 28th Cycle with ICarbonX Towers Shenzhen. GroupGSA is also Professional Member of World Architecture Community. See the firm's other projects on WAC. 

Project facts

Project name: Chongli City Center Project

Architect: GroupGSA

Location: Chongli, Zhangjiakou, China

Uses and Facilities: City Plaza, Ski-In Track, Cable Car, Ice and snow Museum, Commercial, Exhibition Center, City Park

Design Lead: Alina Valcarce

Team: James Wang, Jason Lu, Fied Fu

All images © GroupGSA 

> via GroupGSA