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Nanjing Hexi Gemdale Center
Nanjing Hexi Gemdale Center
China
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Other Projects by Challenge Design
Nanjing Hexi Gemdale Center
China
Firm
STATUS
Built
YEAR
2025
SIZE
300,000 sqft - 500,000 sqft
BUDGET
$50M - 100M
Introduction
Nanjing, celebrated as the "Land of Six Dynasties and City of Emperors," witnesses a new super-tall mixed-use landmark rising along the banks of the Yangtze River. The 200-meter office tower overlooks the eastward flowing Yangtze, capturing the pulse of time.
This project is an urban complex integrating office, apartment, and commercial functions. The individual building volumes are organically connected through elements such as setbacks, rooftops, terraces, plazas, courtyards, and sky bridges, creating a modern "urban island" that integrates residential living, lifestyle, office, and leisure entertainment.
---
Project Background
Location & Context
The project is located in the center of the Hexi Southwest District, Jianye District, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, separated from the Central Business District (CBD) by a single street. With a subway entrance (Wuhou Street) within the plot, the site boasts a unique geographical advantage and convenient transportation.
The landscape resources of "Three Rivers and Three Parks" serve as the starting point for the project's ecological and green design. Historically, the Yangtze River, Jiajiang River, and Qinhuai New River formed a tidal flat at the center; today, following the cultural vein, this becomes the project's foothold. The International Youth Culture Park, Nanjing Yuzui Wetlands Park, and Nanjing International Friendship Park are also within close proximity.
Gemdale Hexi Plaza enjoys a prime location with prominent commercial value. The design aims to construct a green, organic, ecological complex with diverse functional layers, responding to the urban context and landscape resources. With the main frontage along the Jiangdong South Road arterial, facing the Hexi CBD, we anticipate Gemdale Hexi Plaza will serve as a landmark for the new city, defining a new chapter for the lifestyle in Hexi South.
---
Design Strategy
Concept & Morphology
Drawing inspiration from flowers and leaves in nature, the building exterior of Nanjing Gemdale • Hexi Plaza is outlined with fluid, soft curves, resembling a flower blooming in the city when viewed from above.
Massing Generation
During the functional refinement process, a new enclosure relationship was formed, dividing the large plaza into seven smaller spatial nodes. The design introduces connecting bridges to enhance circulation and utilizes rooftop setbacks to create a superior commercial atmosphere and visual range, while chamfered corners on the massing respond to the "Three Rivers" concept.
As the main roads in the Hexi South area are fully operational with high hierarchy and dense networks, managing the relationship between site traffic organization and public space is crucial. Multiple entrances are established along the street based on individual building functions to separate different visitor groups while orderly guiding internal pedestrian flow.
Commerce occupies the podium level, providing high-quality, convenient service spaces for the high-rise office and residential sectors. The above-ground, underground, and aerial sections interconnect various functional zones, offering multiple points of accessibility. While satisfying their respective functional requirements, the buildings actively expand outward to open spaces, becoming a model for diverse architectural spatial design.
Terraces & Plaza
The terrace spaces possess strong openness and leisure qualities; as an extension of the commercial space, they offer distinct advantages for creating immersive, experiential environments. The outwardly extending terraces in this design provide wide fields of view, leaving flexible space for new commercial nodes.
The outdoor plaza balances artistry with interactive experience, incorporating sound, light, and electric interactive facilities and movable seating within a unique landscape design. An immersive open-air stage allows people to join in at any time, fully displaying the urban humanistic spirit.
---
Tower Design
Typology & Layout
Both the high-rise office and apartment buildings utilize a tower typology. With multiple buildings on the site, the tower layout ensures better views and facade daylighting for the high-rises, while offering flexibility for internal spaces.
The building form is diagonally sliced into two blocks vertically, with the lower portion set back. The upper part of the tallest tower features four recesses to form a "Clover" layout; this maintains structural integrity while adding hierarchy, making the tower appear more refined, light, and bright to avoid imposing pressure on the city.
Different programs exhibit distinct characteristics and rhythms. The commercial section has lower requirements for views and daylighting surfaces, resulting in a more "solid" aluminum panel facade. Conversely, the office and apartment towers require high levels of daylighting and views, utilizing glass curtain walls to emphasize the "void," creating a solid-void contrast.
Detailing
The towers utilize varying tones of glass in different positions; ultra-clear glass contrasts with blue-grey glass to dissolve the oppressiveness often associated with high-rises. Specific details are tailored to the different uses of the towers, distinguishing them through material and form to achieve a refined detail and "quiet luxury" texture.
Natural ventilation in high-rise buildings presents specific challenges, as excessive wind pressure makes opening windows difficult. We incorporated perforated metal panels within the glass support frames. This concealed and convenient configuration enables airflow between the interior and exterior without compromising thermal insulation requirements.
---
Shopping Center
Positioning & Interior
Based on in-depth research into regional consumer profiles and trends, Nanjing Hexi Gemdale Plaza positions itself as an "Urban Sports & Culture Life Experience Center". It targets urban new middle-class families and mid-to-high-end white-collar workers aged 20-45, satisfying demands for high-quality culture, lifestyle, and leisure shopping.
The shopping center features soft overall lines, resembling a water droplet flung from the diverging river, blending into the metropolis. Terraces meandering like riverbanks are staggered in height, emphasizing the indoor-outdoor interactive experience and diversifying the building's public spaces.
Within the four-story space, L1 is themed "Style · Encounter," L2 "Trend · Variation," L3 "Play · Imagination," and L4 "Flavor · Spirited Away" (a reference to 'searching/thousands'). The plan includes anchor stores, dining, retail, experiential, and family-oriented sectors to present a "New Landmark" for happy family life in the Hexi South Core, injecting new vitality into the area's commerce.
The spatial design integrates the needs of middle-class families and trend-setting youth, labeled by humanities, art, lifestyle, and social interaction. The South Atrium adopts a natural ecological concept of "Under the Tree of Time," featuring bright skylights, natural wood interiors, scattered artificial leaves, and leisurely animal figures to create a "slow life" atmosphere. The North Atrium offers a transparent space with wide views, reserving an area for future events to allow for diverse usage scenarios.
Facade Control
The shopping center's massing was refined through multiple iterations to form the current volume. A fluid aluminum envelope generates from the form, which is then divided into equal modules with rhythmic concave lighting integrated.
For the conical curved aluminum panels, to maintain the integrity of the modular division, one side is kept vertical to the ground. A curvature analysis was performed on the curved surfaces before dividing the aluminum skin.
The building facade creates a sense of technological modernity and power through the collision of champagne gold aluminum panels and ultra-clear glass. Parametric design ensures the aluminum material perfectly presents the curves, delivering a fluid and bright visual experience. Within the division lines of the skin, lighting grooves are staggered in height, intertwining throughout the space.
At the human scale, glass and aluminum louvers are used to break up the massive volume of the shopping center, enhancing the sense of refinement and quality at the street level.
---
Conclusion
As a super high-rise mixed-use landmark in the Hexi Core of Jianye District, this project takes "Green Organic + Functional Fusion" as its design core. The "Clover" tower layout and the solid-void facade of champagne gold aluminum plus ultra-clear glass, paired with parametric design, balance texture with transparency. The commercial component positions itself around sports and culture to create an immersive space, while the towers optimize daylighting and ventilation. The project achieves a unity of ecology, function, and art, becoming a benchmark defining the lifestyle of Hexi South.
Nanjing, celebrated as the "Land of Six Dynasties and City of Emperors," witnesses a new super-tall mixed-use landmark rising along the banks of the Yangtze River. The 200-meter office tower overlooks the eastward flowing Yangtze, capturing the pulse of time.
This project is an urban complex integrating office, apartment, and commercial functions. The individual building volumes are organically connected through elements such as setbacks, rooftops, terraces, plazas, courtyards, and sky bridges, creating a modern "urban island" that integrates residential living, lifestyle, office, and leisure entertainment.
---
Project Background
Location & Context
The project is located in the center of the Hexi Southwest District, Jianye District, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, separated from the Central Business District (CBD) by a single street. With a subway entrance (Wuhou Street) within the plot, the site boasts a unique geographical advantage and convenient transportation.
The landscape resources of "Three Rivers and Three Parks" serve as the starting point for the project's ecological and green design. Historically, the Yangtze River, Jiajiang River, and Qinhuai New River formed a tidal flat at the center; today, following the cultural vein, this becomes the project's foothold. The International Youth Culture Park, Nanjing Yuzui Wetlands Park, and Nanjing International Friendship Park are also within close proximity.
Gemdale Hexi Plaza enjoys a prime location with prominent commercial value. The design aims to construct a green, organic, ecological complex with diverse functional layers, responding to the urban context and landscape resources. With the main frontage along the Jiangdong South Road arterial, facing the Hexi CBD, we anticipate Gemdale Hexi Plaza will serve as a landmark for the new city, defining a new chapter for the lifestyle in Hexi South.
---
Design Strategy
Concept & Morphology
Drawing inspiration from flowers and leaves in nature, the building exterior of Nanjing Gemdale • Hexi Plaza is outlined with fluid, soft curves, resembling a flower blooming in the city when viewed from above.
Massing Generation
During the functional refinement process, a new enclosure relationship was formed, dividing the large plaza into seven smaller spatial nodes. The design introduces connecting bridges to enhance circulation and utilizes rooftop setbacks to create a superior commercial atmosphere and visual range, while chamfered corners on the massing respond to the "Three Rivers" concept.
As the main roads in the Hexi South area are fully operational with high hierarchy and dense networks, managing the relationship between site traffic organization and public space is crucial. Multiple entrances are established along the street based on individual building functions to separate different visitor groups while orderly guiding internal pedestrian flow.
Commerce occupies the podium level, providing high-quality, convenient service spaces for the high-rise office and residential sectors. The above-ground, underground, and aerial sections interconnect various functional zones, offering multiple points of accessibility. While satisfying their respective functional requirements, the buildings actively expand outward to open spaces, becoming a model for diverse architectural spatial design.
Terraces & Plaza
The terrace spaces possess strong openness and leisure qualities; as an extension of the commercial space, they offer distinct advantages for creating immersive, experiential environments. The outwardly extending terraces in this design provide wide fields of view, leaving flexible space for new commercial nodes.
The outdoor plaza balances artistry with interactive experience, incorporating sound, light, and electric interactive facilities and movable seating within a unique landscape design. An immersive open-air stage allows people to join in at any time, fully displaying the urban humanistic spirit.
---
Tower Design
Typology & Layout
Both the high-rise office and apartment buildings utilize a tower typology. With multiple buildings on the site, the tower layout ensures better views and facade daylighting for the high-rises, while offering flexibility for internal spaces.
The building form is diagonally sliced into two blocks vertically, with the lower portion set back. The upper part of the tallest tower features four recesses to form a "Clover" layout; this maintains structural integrity while adding hierarchy, making the tower appear more refined, light, and bright to avoid imposing pressure on the city.
Different programs exhibit distinct characteristics and rhythms. The commercial section has lower requirements for views and daylighting surfaces, resulting in a more "solid" aluminum panel facade. Conversely, the office and apartment towers require high levels of daylighting and views, utilizing glass curtain walls to emphasize the "void," creating a solid-void contrast.
Detailing
The towers utilize varying tones of glass in different positions; ultra-clear glass contrasts with blue-grey glass to dissolve the oppressiveness often associated with high-rises. Specific details are tailored to the different uses of the towers, distinguishing them through material and form to achieve a refined detail and "quiet luxury" texture.
Natural ventilation in high-rise buildings presents specific challenges, as excessive wind pressure makes opening windows difficult. We incorporated perforated metal panels within the glass support frames. This concealed and convenient configuration enables airflow between the interior and exterior without compromising thermal insulation requirements.
---
Shopping Center
Positioning & Interior
Based on in-depth research into regional consumer profiles and trends, Nanjing Hexi Gemdale Plaza positions itself as an "Urban Sports & Culture Life Experience Center". It targets urban new middle-class families and mid-to-high-end white-collar workers aged 20-45, satisfying demands for high-quality culture, lifestyle, and leisure shopping.
The shopping center features soft overall lines, resembling a water droplet flung from the diverging river, blending into the metropolis. Terraces meandering like riverbanks are staggered in height, emphasizing the indoor-outdoor interactive experience and diversifying the building's public spaces.
Within the four-story space, L1 is themed "Style · Encounter," L2 "Trend · Variation," L3 "Play · Imagination," and L4 "Flavor · Spirited Away" (a reference to 'searching/thousands'). The plan includes anchor stores, dining, retail, experiential, and family-oriented sectors to present a "New Landmark" for happy family life in the Hexi South Core, injecting new vitality into the area's commerce.
The spatial design integrates the needs of middle-class families and trend-setting youth, labeled by humanities, art, lifestyle, and social interaction. The South Atrium adopts a natural ecological concept of "Under the Tree of Time," featuring bright skylights, natural wood interiors, scattered artificial leaves, and leisurely animal figures to create a "slow life" atmosphere. The North Atrium offers a transparent space with wide views, reserving an area for future events to allow for diverse usage scenarios.
Facade Control
The shopping center's massing was refined through multiple iterations to form the current volume. A fluid aluminum envelope generates from the form, which is then divided into equal modules with rhythmic concave lighting integrated.
For the conical curved aluminum panels, to maintain the integrity of the modular division, one side is kept vertical to the ground. A curvature analysis was performed on the curved surfaces before dividing the aluminum skin.
The building facade creates a sense of technological modernity and power through the collision of champagne gold aluminum panels and ultra-clear glass. Parametric design ensures the aluminum material perfectly presents the curves, delivering a fluid and bright visual experience. Within the division lines of the skin, lighting grooves are staggered in height, intertwining throughout the space.
At the human scale, glass and aluminum louvers are used to break up the massive volume of the shopping center, enhancing the sense of refinement and quality at the street level.
---
Conclusion
As a super high-rise mixed-use landmark in the Hexi Core of Jianye District, this project takes "Green Organic + Functional Fusion" as its design core. The "Clover" tower layout and the solid-void facade of champagne gold aluminum plus ultra-clear glass, paired with parametric design, balance texture with transparency. The commercial component positions itself around sports and culture to create an immersive space, while the towers optimize daylighting and ventilation. The project achieves a unity of ecology, function, and art, becoming a benchmark defining the lifestyle of Hexi South.
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