IN DESIGN

Zhuhai Huafa Plaza

Following an international design competition, Hong Kong’s 10 DESIGN was appointed lead design architect for this landmark mixed-use development in the Hengqin District of Zhuhai, China.

The winning design for Huafa Plaza comprises three high-rise towers and three boutique retail and food and beverage (F&B) environments. Scheduled for Intimate ground level spaces completion in 2019, the development will have more than 300,000 square metres of floor space, with 206,000 square metres earmarked for offices.

INTIMATE SPACES
“It is important that the development addresses the waterfront location and the park along the shoreline,” says Gordon Affleck, design partner at 10 DESIGN.

“So the creation of intimate ground level spaces and garden courtyards, in lieu of a traditional mall, was key to the success of the master plan.”

At the ground level, Affleck designed a series of garden courtyards and layered planted terraces that stagger along the esplanade, maximising the open views to the waterfront. Large sculptural canopies cover the terraces and create a series of more intimate spaces at the lower levels. These act as a buffer between the human scale of the landscaped courtyards and the urban scale of the surrounding towers.

Each of the towers is made up of three distinct vertical volumes that rise and slide past one another, creating a simple but elegant layered form, topped by a series of cascading terraces. The undulating height of the three slabs breaks up not only the scale of the towers but also helps in layering the skyline.

EXTENDED VIEWS
Elevated amenity spaces are provided by raised terraces and roof gardens. These terraces ensure that all occupants have access to the panoramic views across the Pearl River Delta to Macau, to the south, east, north and mountain views to the west.

The tower volumes are set within a simple series of frames, reflecting that of traditional Chinese window screens. Traditionally, these screens were designed to frame views to internal courtyard gardens. However, in this case, they are designed at a super scale to look outward to Macau across the waterway.

“When Huafa Plaza opens, it will become one of the most dynamic destinations on Hengqin Island, offering vibrant retail environments, waterfront F&B facilities and office spaces surrounded by green clusters of gardens and terraces,” says Miriam Auyeung, partner at 10 DESIGN.

PROJECT DATA
Project Name: Zhuhai Huafa Plaza
Location: Hengqin New District, Zhuhai, China
Expected Completion: 2019
Site Area: 62,800 square metres
Gross Floor Area: 399,000 square metres
Client/Owner: Huafa Group
Lead Design Architect: 10 DESIGN
Principal Architects: Gordon Affleck (Design Partner); Miriam Auyeung (Partner and Project Director)
Architectural Design Team: Phil Gray; Alexey Golbraykh; Sonja Stoffels; Yang Wang; Jonathan Lynn; Jose Castaneda; Javier Manjon; Almudena Lacruz; Yan Liu
Local Design Institutes: Architectural Design and Research Institute of Guangdong Province – Shenzhen Design Institute; Beijing Institute of Architectural Design
Images: 10 DESIGN