Zaha Hadid Architects won the design competition to build Phase II of the International Exhibition Center in Beijing. At a time when trade fairs are being canceled, postponed and redirected online, the construction of exhibition centers may give hope for future events.
While it’s hard to imagine when physical trade fairs will pick up again, Beijing is set to grow its International Exhibition Center with a new 438,500 m² Phase II by Zaha Hadid Architects. The center is located at the core of the International Airport New City in Beijing’s Shunyi District.
“The exhibition halls, conference center and hotel are arranged as a series of interconnecting lines and geometries that take inspiration from the textures of glazed tubular ceramic tile roofs within traditional Chinese architecture; its copper color and large recessed windows give further expression to the visually dynamic envelope,” as described in the press release.
A central north-south axis connects the east and west exhibition halls, providing a usable space with shared courtyards for informal meetings and relaxation in landscaped gardens, cafes and for outdoor public event spaces. Higher-level secondary bridges link the center’s network of facilities.
“With its conference center and hotel located to the north of the site, the movement of people, goods and vehicles throughout the center is divided into three separate routes to aid circulation, provide optimal adaptability and avoid disruption to ongoing events.”
A composite roof system has been designed for proper insulation and maximum sound absorption. The symmetric geometries and materials selected for the roof will contribute to its lightweight structure.
The plan calls for modular fabrication in order to reduce the center’s construction time, investment and operational costs.
The center will include solar arrays to harvest renewable energy and a smart building management system to adjust the center’s hybrid ventilation system as required, ensuring optimum natural ventilation supported when necessary by high-efficiency HVAC equipment to enhance indoor air quality and further reduce electricity demand. Rainwater collection and greywater recycling will complement the extensive gardens and natural landscaping, while advancements in sustainable building technologies will target minimum embodied carbon and emissions.
- Location: Beijing, China
- Architect: Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA)
- Design: Patrik Schumacher
- ZHA Competition Project Directors: Satoshi Ohashi, Paulo Flores
- ZHA Competition Project Associates: Yang Jingwen, Michail Desyllas
- ZHA Competition Project Leader: Di Ding
- ZHA Competition Team: Eduardo Camarena, Enoch Kolo, Che-Hung Chien, Felix Amiss, Genci Sulo, I-Chun Lin, Jiaxing Lu, Juan Liu, Mariana Custodio dos Santos, Meng Zhao, Michael On, Nastasja Mitrovic, Nicolas Tornero, Ying Xia, Zheng Xu
- Local Architect: BIAD
- Urban Planning: AECOM
- Site Area: 63.74 hectares
- Gross Floor Area above Grade: 438,500 sq.m
- Year: 2021
- Images: Courtesy of Zaha Hadid Architects
