A Conference and Office Centre

Patra, Greece

2011

This project is by Zaha Hadid architects when I was responsible for the design rationalisation and part of the 3D model coordination. 

Comprised of two hotel towers that include the new Jumeirah Nanjing, a cultural centre with conference facilities, an urban plaza, offices and mixed-use areas, the development initially provided accommodation for the 2014 Youth Olympic Games.  Now in its legacy stage, the centre has fostered investment in Hexi New Town on multiple levels; integrating additional infrastructure with new functions that include the hotels and a venue for Jiangsu Province’s annual conferences. 

Some of these functions, such as the footbridge connecting the city to the rural landscapes of Jiangxinzhou Island in the Yangtze River, are expressed. Others, such as burying the existing expressway below ground to create a new riverside park, are now hidden. 

The four elements of the cultural centre (conference hall, auditorium, shops and guest zones) are independent volumes surrounding the central courtyard. These four elements merge into a singular whole at higher levels, enabling pedestrians to walk through an open landscape at ground level. The conference hall seats 2,100 and is equipped with a multi-purpose proscenium stage suitable for conferences, and cultural and theatrical events. The auditorium seats 500 and is optimized for acoustic performances.