{"id":13540,"date":"2014-09-28T09:43:41","date_gmt":"2014-09-28T07:43:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.area-arch.it\/raffles-city-2\/"},"modified":"2015-07-30T10:13:30","modified_gmt":"2015-07-30T08:13:30","slug":"raffles-city","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.area-arch.it\/en\/raffles-city\/","title":{"rendered":"Raffles City"},"content":{"rendered":"

Unstudio\u2019s mixed-use Raffles City development is located near the Qiantang River in Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang province, located 180 kilometres southwest of Shanghai. With a city population of 1.69 million, Hangzhou is one of the most renowned and prosperous cities in China and is well known for its beautiful natural scenery, particularly in the West Lake area.
\nUNStudio\u2019s Raffles City in Hangzhou will be CapitaLand\u2019s sixth Raffles City, following those in Singapore, Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu and Bahrain. UNStudio\u2019s Raffles City Hangzhou incorporates retail, offices, strata apartments and hotel facilities and marks the site of a cultural landscape within the Quianjiang New Town Area.
\nAccording to Ben van Berkel, \u201cThe philosophy behind the Raffles City concept is to integrate mixed use in an urban context, but in such a way as to give this concept a twist; by focussing on where the urban context meets the landscape of the city. In the design of the towers the urban element of the project twists towards the landscape, whilst the landscape aspect, in turn, twists towards the urban context, thereby effecting the incorporation and consolidation of these separate elements in one formal gesture.\u201d
\nRaffles City Hangzhou is due for realization in 2014. After six years of planning and construction, it will reach a height of 60 stories, presenting views both to and from the Qiantang River and West Lake areas. Raffles City Hangzhou will provide a total floor area of almost 400,000 square metres.\u00a0In the chain of events and attractions of Hangzhou, like the West Lake area and the commercial centre, the Raffles City project will be at the core of the Qianjiang New Town area and contribute to the recognition of this area as a new destination in the city.
\nAn inclusive approach to sustainability is an important part of UNStudio\u2019s design philosophy. In the Raffles City project UNStudio seeks to receive the gold certification from the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building rating system, the industry standard for rating of the eco-friendliness of buildings.\u00a0The incorporation of natural ventilation principles and the ways in which materials are employed, all work in concordance with one another to lower the energy and material demands of the building. Urban sustainability is also an important consideration in the design. The program mix creates a dynamic, continuous 24\/7 cycle of activity, a hub for business conduct, a new destination for visitors and residents alike and will become an all-in-one destination for working, living, leisure and entertainment.<\/p>\n