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Three ZHA projects shortlisted for World Architecture Community Awards

Three projects by Zaha Hadid Architects have been shortlisted for the World Architecture Community Awards 2020; Beijing Daxing International Airport, Changsha Meixihu International Culture and Art Centre & Leeza Soho

Now in their 33th cycle, the World Architecture Community Awards recognise remarkable projects that inspire contemporary architectural discourse.

The new Beijing Daxing International will initially serve 45 million passengers per year, and accommodate 72 million travellers by 2025 with further expansion for 100 million passengers and 4 million tonnes of cargo annually by 2040. The airport’s 700,000m² passenger terminal’s compact radial design allows a maximum number of aircraft to be parked directly at the terminal with minimum distances from the centre of the building, providing exceptional convenience for passengers and flexibility in operations.

Echoing principles within traditional Chinese architecture that organise interconnected spaces around a central courtyard, the design guides all passengers seamlessly through the relevant departure, arrival or transfer zones towards the courtyard at its centre. Six flowing forms within the terminal’s vaulted roof reach to the ground to support the structure and bring natural light within, directing all passengers towards the central court. A network of linear skylights also provide an intuitive system of navigation throughout the building, guiding passengers to and from their departure gates.

The Changsha Meixihu International Culture and Art Centre incorporates a contemporary art museum (MICA), an 1,800-seat theatre with supporting facilities and a multipurpose hall. Its organic architectural language is defined by pedestrian routes that weave through the site to connect with neighbouring streets. Providing views of the adjacent Meixi Lake from the city and giving access to the parks and walking trails on Festival Island, this ensemble of three separate institutions is the largest cultural centre in Hunan province and connects directly with its station on Line 2 of Changsha’s new Metro System.

Located on historic trade routes through China, the city of Changsha’s traditions as an important centre of communications continues as one of the country’s leading media hubs with the centre’s Grand Theatre hosting a popular programme of performances and television productions.

Leeza SOHO tower for SOHO China anchors the new Fengtai business district - a growing financial and transport hub between the city centre and the recently opened Beijing Daxing International Airport to the south. Adjacent to the business district’s rail station at the intersection of five new lines currently under construction on Beijing’s Subway network, Leeza SOHO’s site is diagonally dissected by an underground subway service tunnel.

Straddling this tunnel, the tower’s design divides its volume into two halves enclosed by a single facade. The space between these two halves extends the full height of the tower, creating the world’s tallest atrium at 194m which rotates as the tower rises to realign the upper floors with Lize road to the north. This rotation of the atrium intertwines Leeza SOHO’s two halves in a dynamic ‘pas de deux’. Acting as a public square for the new district and providing varying views due to its twisting, sculptural form, the tower creates a fantastic new civic space for Beijing that is directly connected to the city’s transport network.

Photograph of Leeza SOHO by Hufton+Crow