The 1st World Architecture Festival (WAF) China Awards recognized the Changsha Hua Center Phase II Project designed by Aedas, and granted the Excellent Design Award to commemorate its singularity. The project is also shortlisted for the WAF Awards in Lisbon next year.

Designed by Global Design Principal Dr Andy Wen, Changsha Hua Center Phase II Project is located at a hip leisure and tourism section in downtown Changsha, Hunan. The design draws inspiration from Zhangjiajie, a tourist destination known for its picturesque scenery. To simulate the vigorous ethos of Hunan and create viewing platforms, the two towers are stacked unevenly so that it looks staggered and jagged from every which way. Comprised of retail, office, residential, art and exhibition elements, the complex strives to enhance spatial connection with the city and promote user experience. With that in mind, it is designed as a semi-enclosed micro-environment with natural ventilation and unobstructed daylight.

The development also contributes to the expansion of cultural spaces. Themed under “culture and creation”, the shopping mall provides consumers a brand new shopping experience, with generous public spaces reserved in the podium atrium for art exhibition, events and performances. The development has become a leisure destination for both local citizen and tourists, boosting land value while retaining the city’s romantic personality.

Hailed as the Academy Awards in the architecture industry, the World Architecture Festival (WAF) is one of the largest and most prestigious international architectural awards ceremonies. The WAF China Awards is a new award program under WAF which strives to celebrate, promote and inspire outstanding architecture in Greater China region.