China-Israel Industrial and Creative Centre

The Industrial and Creative Centre is a joint development between China and Israel to stimulate future thinking by providing incubator office space for innovative companies in Zhuhai, China.

The 346,335sqm project is a mixture of headquarter office buildings, flexible office space, serviced apartments, and small incubator office pavilions.

The design is inspired by the idea of FUSION, the merging of different elements into a union while simultaneously creating high amounts of energy. The fusion of China and Israel will foster interaction, symbolically blurring boundaries and creating synergies between the two nations.

The idea of FUSION is architecturally expressed by a protective canopy, starting at the ‘Active House’ at the eastern corner of the site and connecting all major buildings in a U-shaped form to the south-west entrance plaza.

The canopy also mediates and blurs the higher towers surrounding the outer edges of the site and the lower garden-offices at the heart of the development. The two iconic gateway towers emerge out of the connecting canopy at the arrival plaza to the east and are slightly rotated against each other to form the main entry into the development. The central arrival area is between the gateway towers under the connecting canopy; and the position of the towers towards each other symbolises the collaboration of the two countries with each other. At the top of the towers the recessing roof terraces suggest constant dialogue between both countries, whilst the dynamic form of the towers represents the resulting synergy and collaboration between the two.

Here, the FUSION concept is symbolised through the dynamic proximity and interaction of two elements and is further continued in the façade treatment with clear simple glazing at the lower part towards the entry plaza and sun-shaded vertically accentuated main tower façade above.

The same idea of fusion is continued on the facades of the simpler for lease office towers through a horizontal pattern that structures the façade. The materials and colours change from one side to another to express the merging and exchange of ideas.

The project further employs smart façade technologies, maximising energy efficiency, sun-shading and user comfort for future oriented office spaces.

The façade materials are inspired by the colours and materials of Israel and selected for their modern and timeless qualities. Off-white to beige limestone is used at the podium facades and is running strategically up the tower facades. In addition, silver and gold tone metals are used to highlight the building facades and create sun-shading devices.

The masterplan, with its carefully shaped plazas, sunken gardens and rich skyline results in an energetic place, creating constant interaction, representing the idea of FUSION and the blurring of boundaries to create innovation and prosperity for the future in Zhuhai.