The Sino-Finnish Center will be a representation of an ecologically sustainable way of building cities. The key concept in the design is to think about the ecological impact of the entire life cycle of the development from pre-planning to demolition and recycling.
Our proposal is clearly divided into two distinctive areas: a high-density, high performance, green-roofed hybrid city block utilizing the best external and internal clean tech solutions available, and a purified, publicly accessible wetland park, which is also a place to demonstrate the results and motivations of investing in clean technology.
The city block is shaped as a 21st century version of the urban typology that has successfully evolved over time. Taking the qualities of the Finnish perimeter block as its starting point, the proposal develops this typology into a unique shape, a coherent and unified city block, creating an attractive and recognizable addition to the Nanjing Southern New Town.
The block contains a hybrid complex of different functions merged into one definite and interesting shape. The continuous roofline is a beautiful and harmonious way to collect all the functions into a synergic whole. The naturally acclimatized courtyard acts as a shared lobby and meeting space for both the visitors and the employees. The large, continuous floor plates provide flexibility for possible functional changes and adaptations in the future.
The wetland park acts as a contrast and complement to the urban block. The park will be used as a demonstration area for clean technologies, and will contain a network of small pavilions linked by a system of wooden piers. The park area also plays an important role in managing the rainwater overflow, and negotiating the impact of the large urban block.
NAME: Sino-Finnish Economic, Trade and Cultural Cooperation and Exchange Center (proposal Clean Tech Timeline Prototype Block)
TYPE: Invited competition, 2016, 2nd prize
STATUS: Concluded
LOCATION: Nanjing, China
CLIENT: Nanjing Southern New Town Development and Construction Management Committee, Nanjing City Planning Bureau
PROGRAM: Exhibition Center, service center, trade center, hotel, 167,000 m2 total
TEAM: ALA partners Juho Grönholm, Antti Nousjoki and Samuli Woolston with Tiina Juuti, Lotta Kindberg, Jiaao Liu, Jasper Lorenz, Rachel Murray, Nea Tuominen and Maciej Warot
COLLABORATORS: Wise Group Finland (engineering), SITO (landscape design), VIZarch (renderings), Klaus Stolt (scale model)