The Shuijuxiang Phase II project establishes a new prototype for a sustainable waterfront mixed-use masterplan, efficiently integrating architecture and landscape with state of the art sustainability and wellness practices to produce an environment conducive to new ways of work, living and leisure practices.

PLP’s vision for the project is both restrained and sophisticated: simple yet elegant sculptural forms crafted to an exceptional level of design that is evident from close quarters as well from distant views.

Four principal buildings are shaped to enter into dialogue to each other as they form distinct gateways into the site. To the north, the soho tower and the shopping mall establish the city entrance to the development, while to the south, the hotel and service apartment towers combine to create the waterfront entrance complete with a yacht arrival that allows boats to moor in front of the hotel lobby. The architecture of the buildings responds to the existing forms built in the first phase of the development – they are both orthogonal and slightly curved in order to create a unique formal language that is both fluid and pragmatic, expressive and rational. This formal language is reinforced through a facade design that is reminiscent of naval architecture and that is established through strongly delineated horizontal concrete bands with a timber-like infills. Throughout the masterplan this arrangement is subtly varied to differentiate the distinct uses accommodated within each building: balconies for the residential towers, bay windows for the hotel and serviced apartments, shopfronts for the retail elements and, recognisable silhouettes for the commercial villas.

Connecting the buildings is a retail street that runs north-south through the entire site. Inspired by the metropolitan street grid and the grain of the old neighbourhood on the site, this retail road has an orthogonal geometry. It is organised as a series of human-scaled spaces interspersed with five urban piazzas, each with a different character and urban activation. All the spaces are covered by a continuous tensile canopy reminiscent of the distinguished roof geometry of traditional Hainan boat houses. This canopy brings shade and comfort to the retail spaces whilst giving the street an identity and urban presence when seen from afar.