raffles city chongqing by safdie architects documented in new images

new images have been revealed of ‘raffles city chongqing’, the landmark mixed-use complex designed by safdie architects. embedded within the chinese city’s densely developed yuzhong district, the project combines office, residential, hotel, retail, and recreational facilities across a 22.7 acre site. situated at the confluence of the yangtze and jialing rivers, the historically significant site was once home to the city’s most important gateway and the official imperial entrance to the city: chaotian gate. today, chongqing is one of the world’s fastest-growing and densest cities with a greater metropolitan population of over 30 million.

image by arch-exist photography | main image by shao feng, © SFAP studio

a phased opening of the development commenced in september 2019 with the unveiling of a five-storey retail galleria and culminating with the opening of ‘the crystal’ — a 300 meter-long (984 ft) horizontal skyscraper elevated 250 meters (820 ft) above the ground. containing gardens, dining options, a bar and event space, a residential clubhouse, an infinity pool, and a hotel lobby, the structure stretches across four of the development’s eight towers. the project is safdie architects’ fourth collaboration with capitaland, one of asia’s largest real estate developers.

image by shao feng, © SFAP studio

with a total built area of over 1 million square meters (approx. 11 million square feet), the project is one of safdie architects’ largest and most complex projects to date. five of the eight vertical structures are residential, with another serving as a dedicated office tower. the remaining two structures include a mixed-use tower with office space and serviced apartments, and another with offices and a hotel.

image by shao feng, © SFAP studio

‘while centuries old, chongqing is now experiencing rapid growth and regeneration that demands thoughtful solutions to increased density and mega-scale projects,’ explains moshe safdie, principle of safdie architects. ‘guided by the sheer scale and complexity of the site, our design brings people in and through the site at different levels, whether by foot, car, subway, or ferry, to reconnect the city to its most historic site, chaotianmen square.’

image by arch-exist photography

at a height of 250 meters (820 feet), the ‘crystal’ is a fully programmed horizontal skyscraper housing over 10,000 square meters of amenities. in may 2020, the crystal’s observatory garden and viewing platform opened to the public with a glass-bottom, cantilevered, open-air viewing deck. the 300-meter-long (984 ft) structure features amenities that include dining, bar and event spaces, a hotel lobby, and a members-only clubhouse with a 50-meter-long (164 ft) infinity pool.

image by shao feng, © SFAP studio

weighing 12,000 tons and enclosed by a concertina structural frame with an integrated curtain-wall comprised of 3,000 pieces of glass and 5,000 aluminum panels, the crystal’s gardens and amenities are open to visitors year-round. metal panels on the west-facing surfaces and glass on the east-facing surfaces afford guests and visitors natural light in the morning and shade from the sun in the afternoon. throughout the day, internal temperatures are regulated with the help of a shading system that can be tuned depending on external climate conditions.

image by shao feng, © SFAP studio

meanwhile, at ground level, the retail podium is topped with an expansive public park overlooking chaotianmen square. the design of ‘gateway park’, which takes inspiration from the city’s hilly terrain, comprises a network of green and open spaces that also feature public art commissions, including sculptures by chinese artists zheng lu and jian xingtao, and a series of water features, including interactive fountains and pools along the public path from the city streets to the upper plaza, overlooking the square. see designboom’s previous coverage of the project here.

image by shao feng, © SFAP studio

image by arch-exist photography

image by shao feng, © SFAP studio

image by shao feng, © SFAP studio

image by shao feng, © SFAP studio

image by shao feng, © SFAP studio

image by shao feng, © SFAP studio

image by shao feng, © SFAP studio

image by shao feng, © SFAP studio

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project info:

client: capitaland
design architect: safdie architects
executive architect: P&T group international ltd
design institute: CQADI (chongqing architectural design institute)
structural engineer: arup
MEP engineer: parsons brinckerhoff
landscape architect: williams, asselin, ackaoui & associates
façade engineer: ALT
signage+wayfinding: pentagram + entro
lighting consultant: BPI (brandston partnership inc.)
interior design: CL3 architects ltd. (hotel & convention)
interior design: the buchan group (retail)
LEED consultant: arup
quantity surveyor: rider levett bucknall