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The idea emerged from a design competition for a future-oriented headquarters center in Jinhua. Confronted with a highly irregular site, the team adopted a multidimensional spatial logic that breaks from orthogonal planning. Using a rotated grid system, the concept reimagines the site as a dynamic and layered urban complex. The main tower and surrounding volumes are composed to shape an iconic silhouette, while responding to functional, symbolic, and topographic demands. The form “Longzhu” (Dragon Spine) draws cultural inspiration from traditional Chinese symbolism of dragons as a metaphor for power and urban aspiration.
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The project lies beside the Wujiang River and directly faces the Jinwu Bridge, establishing a strong visual and infrastructural axis between Jinhua’s East New District and its Economic Development Zone. This high-density business district forms a new CBD node in the urban structure. The stepped height strategy—from the 196 m supertall tower to mid-rises—forms a deliberate skyline that echoes the local river geography. The spatial organization and public accessibility of the ground level help integrate the complex into the broader urban ecosystem and create an active, people-oriented riverside environment.
The project incorporates sustainable principles through a series of material and system strategies. The towers use high-performance Low-E insulated glass to reduce solar gain while optimizing daylight. Vertical aluminum fins further reduce glare and energy consumption. The underground levels consolidate parking and services, allowing for a pedestrian-friendly ground plane. The supertall tower incorporates refuge floors and structural optimization to reduce material consumption. While not yet certified, the project adheres to China’s national green building standards. Energy modeling and glass reflection control were key concerns given the site’s dense urban and riverfront context.
Zhejiang Central Headquarters Center is a 387,000 m² business complex anchoring a new CBD in Jinhua. Its central landmark is a 196 m, 43-storey tower—the city’s tallest—surrounded by five mid-rise office towers and a Marriott hotel, forming an integrated mixed-use environment. The masterplan overcomes a complex site through a multidimensional grid system, generating rich urban spaces and framed views. The design references the dragon’s form, symbolizing confidence and vitality.
Architecturally, it balances dynamic massing with clean façades: blue-grey Low-E glass and white-grey aluminum profiles unify the group. Pedestrian-vehicle separation, skybridges, and active podium zones ensure programmatic and urban fluidity. Its role as both an economic engine and public hub positions the project as a transformative typology in Zhejiang’s urban development.
“This project is more than a headquarters—it is a cultural and economic landmark. It demonstrates Jinhua’s ambition and sets a new benchmark for integrated urban business environments in the region.”
STI Studio is an international design firm, founded in Stuttgart, Germany. It currently comprises three core design studios located in Hangzhou, China; Châteauroux, France; and Stuttgart, Germany. STI Studio specializes in architecture and offers comprehensive design services that span urban planning and design, architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, and lighting design.
