La Cadiere Center, a landmark development that sits within a unique urban context

Located in Tianfu New district, Chengdu, China, La Cadiere Center is a landmark development that sits within a unique urban context embraced by a 230-hectare central park, facing a scenic lake at the front door. The project contributes this promising new district a set of lifestyle venues where living, working and social life is integrated together. Different from a solo tower or twin towers, the combination of 3 towers comprises Andaz Hotel and CEO Mansion, and the height ranges from 216 meters to 248 meters. Skyscrapers are rising high to provide extensive and unobstructed views: from the undulating landscape they stand within, through the scenic lakeside greenery, to overlooking the future CBD at the distance to finally reaching the horizon where the Long Quan Mountains sit.

Towers are arrayed along this connecting spine of folded landscaping which creates a seamless connection to the lake and park. Towers rise up high from the ground, the stone-clad façade expresses verticality while also implying an uplifting spirit. Living beside the park, the units are enjoying not only the extensive landscape view but also overlook towards the future tallest building in China.
The night sky of the new city heart of Chengdu will be trademarked by the iconic constellation of these towers.

Goals
The Combination and Shaping of Urban and Natural Environment
Nowadays, the convergence of city images is becoming more and more serious during the process of development and urbanization. The urban architecture cannot even feel its existence and monumental value, and moreover the public green space is also becoming gradually inaccessible. Therefore, how to balance the combination and connection of the architectural space and the green space, at the same time to evoke senses, and create a harmonious, inspiring and meaningful urban environment where people can live, work and entertain become the main design issues and also the ultimate goal in this project.

The Layout and Integration of Architectural Functions
Public spaces like hotels, international conference centers need an open environment; while residential architecture like CEO Mansion focus on quality life, independent and private atmosphere. Hence how to conduct the layout of the project and roll out a landscape design of combining organically this two contrasting, complementary spaces, is the key point in general planning and landscape design that the designer needs to carefully consider.

Brief
La Cadiere Center includes CEO Mansion, Andaz hotel and international conference center. CEO mansion is composed of three super high-rise buildings over 200 meters (building height is 216m in block A, 236m in block B and 248m in block C respectively). Andaz hotel is located in the upper floors from 50th to 66th of block C; International conference center is located in the podium of block C building.

In the future, Hyatt regency hotel and its service apartments and two office towers of more than 250 meters will be constructed in the development.

Architecture design
Inspired by the modern classic architecture in the early twentieth century, the building design is featured in strength and permanence. A group of monumental buildings are set in an oasis of nature and tranquility. The concept is about a contrast between the mass and the weight of building, versus the light folded paper-like form of the landscape. Skyscrapers are rising high to provide extensive and uninterrupted views. The overall design of the building reflects a spirit of future and innovation, and creates a visual sense of rigor and restraint. The podium structure with a minimalist linear geometry brings the building façade a sense of direction and rhythm.

Surrounded by Tianfu Central Park comprising of 230 hectares and close to a picturesque waterfront, La Cadiere Center is situated in the central axis with abundant greenery resources. The large green space reaches 90,000 square meters, including landscapes of forests, lawns and open water scenes, lakeside park, mountain park, and folded park, etc.

The public open space is formed by the undulating surface, and surrounded by green area. It divides the land space into protected landscape plazas in different sizes. Among them the visual focus is the sculptural International Conference Center, with some small private spaces scattered around. The landscape creates an oasis of serene spaces, clearly delineated between private and public, formed by sculpted landscape planes.

The designer intends to create a relaxed setting that seemingly connects to the 230-hectare central park, which ensures the continuity of land and lake area. The buildings are arranged orderly along the spine line of the landscape. The continuous path between the undulating surfaces creates a seamless connection between lake and landscape. When people are walking on the paths between the buildings, the distant lake view and the nearby garden view together bring them a wonderful visual feast.

Traffic facilities
The podium structure of the towers is designed as folded landscape surface that connects together the public square, park, and landscape boardwalk(paths), etc. The boardwalk functions as the transition between the towers and the ground waterfront greeneries, meanwhile in order to have more accessibility, multiple entrances and exits will be opened on the folded surface.

Individual vehicle lane of each tower is hidden underground to facilitate the separation of pedestrian and vehicular circulation, which at the same time weakens the influence of vehicles on the surrounding environment. Besides, clear lines are also marked to connect the inner traffic and the urban traffic system sufficiently.

Through meticulous investigation of the overall volumes and connection and integration of the towers, a seamless connection is created between the towers (urban landscape) and the nature (lake), which forms the ideal landscape and view in the atrium.