The upcoming Suzhou Center will feature the world’s largest monocoque roof, inspired by the mythical Chinese phoenix.
March 11th, 2015
Plans for the large-scale Suzhou Center integrated development in the heart of the western CBD of Suzhou Industrial Park have just been unveiled, and it includes a major retail component designed by Benoy, which boasts the world’s largest free-form monocoque roof structure spanning 36,000 metre square.
“Benoy’s design for the roof was inspired by the mythical Chinese Phoenix,” explains Winnie Tsang, Director at Benoy. “We envisaged the structure as a bird resting above an oasis with the striking curved architecture mimicking its wings.”
The seven-storey retail and entertainment podium will have a GFA of 340,000 metre square and will be spread across three interconnected buildings. Alongside luxury and high-street retailers, children’s attractions and designer studios, it will also hold an IMAX Cineplex and an Olympic-size ice rink.
Another prominent feature in Benoy’s design are the landscaped bridges, which extend from the retail development to Jinji Lake, located nearby. From the retail podium, terraces overlooking the water will also create additional civic spaces, while a cascading ‘water curtain’ spanning 50 metres pays homage to its surroundings.
Aside from the retail component, the Suzhou Center includes four Grade A office towers, two luxury serviced apartment towers, and the W Suzhou hotel tower.
Benoy
benoy.com
A searchable and comprehensive guide for specifying leading products and their suppliers
Keep up to date with the latest and greatest from our industry BFF's!
In the pursuit of an uplifting synergy between the inner world and the surrounding environment, internationally acclaimed Interior Architect and Designer Lorena Gaxiola transform the vibration of the auspicious number ‘8’ into mesmerising artistry alongside the Feltex design team, brought to you by GH Commercial.
Suitable for applications ranging from schools and retail outlets to computer rooms and X-ray suites, Palettone comes in two varieties and a choice of more than fifty colours.
Channelling the enchanting ambience of the Caffè Greco in Rome, Budapest’s historic Gerbeaud, and Grossi Florentino in Melbourne, Ross Didier’s new collection evokes the designer’s affinity for café experience, while delivering refined seating for contemporary hospitality interiors.
Marylou Cafaro’s first trendjournal sparked a powerful, decades-long movement in joinery designs and finishes which eventually saw Australian design develop its independence and characteristic style. Now, polytec offers all-new insights into the future of Australian design.
The internet never sleeps! Here's the stuff you might have missed
Leading the charge for sustainable design, X+O and Nudie Jeans are both making a statement in Brisbane and doing it with creativity and innovation.
Continuing our new series on the design enthusiasts who work in all sorts of different roles across the industry, we hear from Innerspace’s Creative Collaborator and State Manager NSW.
Taigu Design and CEIBS Shenzhen Campus have collaborated to design the first business school in China, signifying a shift in the region’s educational framework.
Welcome to the year of the Design Effect. This year’s theme aims to showcase the profound ripple effects that exceptional design can have on people, place and planet. Join in shaping this narrative by contributing your perspective before May 3, 2024, and become a part of the Design Effect movement.