Unicorn Island Masterplan Chengdu by ZHA

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With China’s economy evolving from traditional industries to internet and technology-based organisations, the country is now home to a third of the world’s technology start-ups valued at over a billion US dollars – termed ‘unicorn companies’.

Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, has developed into a centre of excellence providing computer chips for half the world’s laptops and is a leading producer of mobile computing hardware. With a focus on next-generation information technologies, intelligent manufacturing, digital entertainment and new energy, the Tianfu New Area to the south of the city is being developed as an ecologically sustainable civic, business and residential centre for China’s technology and research sectors.

The 67-hectare Unicorn Island masterplan within the Tianfu New Area will foster the continued growth of China’s digital economy, creating living and working environments for Chinese and international companies.

A mixed-use masterplan for 70,000 researchers, office staff, residents and visitors, Unicorn Island has been designed to enhance the wellbeing of its community; its design influenced by principles within the region’s historical natural engineering projects.

Constructed 2,300 years ago to the northwest of Chengdu, the nearby Dujiangyan irrigation system on the Min river was named a UNESCO world heritage site in 2000. This ancient water management system deployed the river’s natural forces to irrigate the Chengdu plain, creating some of the most productive agricultural land in China and protecting the region from flooding.

Contemporary hydraulic engineering is also re-establishing the wetlands of the Tianfu New Area as part of a comprehensive ecological project that serves as water conservation, flood control and recreation area.

Driven by the environmental principles of Dujiangyan’s historic irrigation system and Tianfu New Area’s ongoing work to re-establish its natural wetlands, Unicorn Island’s parkland design incorporates green civic spaces, water conservation and enhanced connectivity to create its living and working environments; following concepts that are redefining the true measure of a building’s efficiency as the improved wellbeing of its inhabitants.

Integrated clusters of buildings surround Unicorn Island’s central plaza and metro station; its radial masterplan enables the entire island to be accessed by a few minutes’ walk or bike ride.

The height and composition of each cluster will be established organically over the lifetime of the development; directly responding to varying requirements of function, programme and efficiency to cultivate a diversity of interconnected buildings at a human scale that establish a sense of community.

Project Unicorn Island masterplan

Location Chengdu, China

Date 2018 / TBC

Client Chengdu Tianfu New Area Investment Group

Status Under Construction

Gross Floor Area 956,200m²

 

Architect Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA)

Design Patrik Schumacher

Project Directors Satoshi Ohashi

Michele Pasca di Magliano

Project Associates Andres Arias Madrid

Stefano Paiocchi

Jingwen Yang

Project Architect Maria Tsironi

 

Project Team Di Ding

Chengzhen Jia

Johannes Elias

Konstantina Tsagkaratou

Martin Gsandtner Millie Anderson

Nicolas Tornero

Shahd Abdelmoneim

Sven Torres

Thomas Bagnoli

Valentina Cerrone

Yihui Wu

Yuan Zhai

Martina Rosati

Arian Hakimi Nejad

Kate Revyakina

Vincent Konate

Neil Rigden

Juan Montiel

Christos Koukis

Jihan Shraibati

Patricia De Osma Arena

Shi Qi Tu

Irfan Bhakrani

Qiuru Pu

 

Competition Project Directors Satoshi Ohashi

Michele Pasca di Magliano

Competition Project Designer Maria Tsironi

Competition Associate

Jingwen Yang

 

Competition Team Chafik Zerrouki

Di Ding

Konstantina Tsagkaratou

Lida Zhang

Lorena Espaillat Bencosme

Millie Anderson

Nailu Chen

Nicolas Tornero

Philipp Siedler

Sven Torres

Xinqi Zhuang

Yihui Wu

Yuan Feng

 

Consultants

Competition Engineering (Transport, SMART and Civil/ Landscape)

RAMBOLL

Landscape Design

Ramboll Dreisetl

Size

Site Area 670,000 m2

Gross Floor Area 956,200 m2