This week Benoy celebrates the grand opening of Joy City in Hangzhou, China – coinciding with Benoy Shanghai’s 10th anniversary, the studio which delivered this project over the last five years.
Benoy is the Masterplanner and Architect for the mixed-use scheme and also delivered additional scopes such as Retail Planning and Concept Design for the main interior atrium which features an escalator extending across five levels. Located in Hangzhou’s Gongshu district adjacent to the Yuhangtang River, Joy City covers approximately 500,000 m² in a coveted location in the city and delivers a new urban landmark featuring a retail mall, commercial streets, Grade A office buildings and apartment towers.
“This is an incredibly exciting moment for our team to see this development come to life. We shared the same vision as our client COFCO which was to provide a new recreation destination and landmark commercial complex for local residents. Our design has aimed to create an environment that is forward-looking, engaging and in harmony with its surroundings – I feel confident we have achieved that,” said Qin Pang, Director and Head of Benoy’s Shanghai Studio.
The key component of the site is the retail center covering a GFA of 150,000 m² which forms the major hub for Joy City. Benoy drew design inspiration from the traditional concept of a city plaza. As the city’s ‘living room’, a plaza unites the architectural with the municipal, private and public spaces.
“A plaza is a city’s most prominent landmark, a multi-functional space for gatherings, recreation, commerce and commemoration. It is one of the most important spatial expressions of a city’s spirit. We wanted to capture that essence for Joy City,” said Qin.
On its grand opening day, more than 90% of tenants opened covering 300 brands and attracting tens of thousands of visitors. Qin Pang, Benoy Director and lead designer joined the official celebrations for the project’s opening which were led by COFCO’s President and Vice President alongside the Deputy Mayor of Hangzhou and the Gongshu District Party Secretary.
Benoy’s Shanghai team will also deliver the Hangzhou Canal Art Center this year, another component of the Joy City project, which will see a former thermal power plant site converted into a community arts and entertainment complex.
Project Details:
Masterplanning: Benoy
Architecture: Benoy
Interior Design: AGC
Retail Planning: Benoy
