DeStefano Partners win Chinese design competition
22 June 2010
Architect DeStefano Partners has won an international competition to design the new Suzhou Wuzhong North Road Development in Suzhou, China.
The 94000 m2 multipurpose development for Suzhou Wuzhong Guoyu Asset Management Co includes a variety of high-rise office buildings, residential, hotel and retail facilities - 10 cinemas, 200000 m2 of retail space, 115000 m2 of office space and 1000 hotel rooms
DeStefano's design, said the company, is based on four elemental factors - Serenity, Connectivity, Vitality and Humanity.
With the site bordered with canals to the north and east, and main roads to the south and west, DeStefano's design creates a space that is both tranquil and "shielded from the commotion of the city".
A network of streets between the various pavilions is incorporated into the design to create a pedestrian-friendly environment. A raised pedestrian walkway is also under consideration in an effort to connect the development to the surrounding area.
The walkway would run through the middle of site connecting it with new developments to the north and south, all the way to the Grand Suzhou Canal.
DeStefano Partners said the final design development for phase one (of two) should be completed by the end of 2010, with construction scheduled to begin in spring 2011.
