Zhuhai Hengqin CRCC Plaza: Urban Connectivity and Integration

Floating above the bustling coastal city, this architectural masterpiece embodies the harmony between nature and modernity. Its golden curves mimic ocean waves, while vast glass façades frame panoramic views of Zhuhai’s seascape and Macau’s skyline.

Designed by Aedas Global Design Principal Dr. Andy Wen, Zhuhai Hengqin CRCC Plaza integrates ‘Loop, Communication, and Integration’ concepts. A sky bridge symbolises connectivity, social spaces enhance interaction, and the mixed-use complex blends office, retail, and leisure, establishing a new urban landmark.

Zhuhai Hengqin CRCC Plaza sits at the heart of Hengqin, benefiting from excellent connectivity and stunning natural landscapes. With 24-hour border clearance, the plaza plays a key role in Zhuhai-Macau integration, emerging as a modern, high-efficiency service hub with regional influence.

The project consists of four towers and a retail podium, with its design centered around the concept of the sky bridge. This bridge connects the four towers, creating a seamless circular circulation and a unique urban spatial experience where visitors can enjoy both coastal views and leisure activities.

By linking the towers, the design integrates stepped rooftop terraces on the sky garden, forming a dynamic multi-functional complex. A panoramic elevator leads from the podium to the sky bridge, offering breathtaking views from the cityscape to the vast coastline – an experience akin to standing atop an urban mountain while maximising the value of the tower’s upper levels.

The ground-level retail podium is arranged along the street, creating a continuous commercial loop that connects both interior and exterior shopping streets. The enclosed layout forms a central plaza, injecting vitality into the future Central Business District.

The podium’s box-like and cloud-inspired shapes complement the tower design, while anchor stores at street corners define key plazas. Along the retail street, a structured façade integrates alternative commercial elevations, strategically considering advertising spaces. Curved podium forms blend seamlessly with main entrances, guiding foot traffic into the retail flow. Landscape plazas and lush greenery, combined with rooftop gardens, shape a dynamic three-dimensional vertical urban environment for the future Central Business District.

The sky bridge’s flowing curves are accentuated by a combination of gold and silver aluminum panels on the façade. To withstand coastal winds, sliding bearings are incorporated into the bridge’s underside, ensuring structural stability. The tower façades feature vertical glass curtain walls with louvered and operable windows, creating an elegant greeting effect.

‘Zhuhai Hengqin CRCC Plaza integrates nature, technology and people, creating a diverse urban environment.’ Dr. Andy Wen shares. ‘Rooted in cultural context, our design reimagines the spirit of place through poetic architecture, offering a new landmark that bridges the present and future between Zhuhai and Macau.’

Project: Zhuhai Hengqin CRCC Plaza
Location: Zhuhai, China
Client: China Railway Construction Corporation
Design and Project Architect: Aedas
Gross Floor Area: 200,700 sq m
Construction Year: On-going
Design Director: Dr. Andy Wen
Photography: Marcus Oleniuk, CATOPTOGRAM and MTY