Jiangmen Tech City Mixed Use Architecture by Jintao Zhai

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DI: What is the main principle, idea and inspiration behind your design?

JZ : The core principle iscontextual resilience, blending Lingnan cultural heritage with contemporary urban needs. Our inspiration stemmed from Southern China’s traditionalarcade spaces, reinterpreted as multi-level terraces and public plazas to foster community interaction. The "green terraces" concept vertically extends ecology from ground to sky, creating a valley-like oasis for innovation.

DI: What has been your main focus in designing this work? Especially what did you want to achieve?

JZ : We prioritized functional fluidity – blurring boundaries between work, life, and nature. Key goals:Create a 24/7 resilient ecosystem via underground service networks and weatherproof canopies.Catalyze innovation through immersive co-working hubs for startups to enterprises.Reclaim neglected spaces (e.g., valueless underground → vital infrastructure layer).

DI: What are your future plans for this award winning design?

JZ : Scaling the "health-tech hub" model:Phase 2 integrates AI-driven building management for energy optimization.Export the hybrid-use framework to ASEAN eco-cities, adapting Lingnan design principles to tropical contexts.

DI: How long did it take you to design this particular concept?

JZ : 6 monthsof intensive design (Oct 2021-Mar 2022), including cultural research on Lingnan architecture and 3D simulations for microclimate optimization.

DI: Why did you design this particular concept? Was this design commissioned or did you decide to pursuit an inspiration?

JZ : Commissioned by Jiangmen to revitalize the district, but we transformed pragmatic requirements into acultural manifesto– proving economic development and heritage preservation can coexist.

DI: Is your design being produced or used by another company, or do you plan to sell or lease the production rights or do you intent to produce your work yourself?

JZ : Currently operated by our consortium. We’re open tolicensing the design system(e.g., terrace networks, underground utility integration) for similar climatic zones, with core IP retained.

DI: What made you design this particular type of work?

JZ : To challenge "zoned cities." Hybrid-use isChina’s urban future– where living labs boost well-being and productivity simultaneously.

DI: Where there any other designs and/or designers that helped the influence the design of your work?

JZ : Critical regionalism theoristKenneth Framptoninformed our cultural reinterpretation. Technical inspiration from Singapore’sPARKROYAL on Pickeringfor vertical greenery systems.

DI: Who is the target customer for his design?

JZ : A"innovation triangle":Researchers(health-tech labs)，Digital nomads(co-working spaces)，Health-conscious families(organic retail/elderly apartments).

DI: What sets this design apart from other similar or resembling concepts?

JZ : 1."Earth-Sky Interface"– Underground transport/service layer frees ground for human-scale activities. 2.Climatic Armor– Giant canopies enable monsoon-proof commerce. 3.Productive Green– Rooftop terraces yield herbs for onsite F&B.

DI: How did you come up with the name for this design? What does it mean?

JZ : "Jiangmen"denotes location poetry."Health Tech City"declares mission – merging biotech innovation with Lingnan wellness wisdom.

DI: Which design tools did you use when you were working on this project?

JZ : Rhino+Grasshopperfor parametric terraces;SITE ANALYSISfor sun/wind simulation;RevitBIM coordinating 200+ disciplines.

DI: What is the most unique aspect of your design?

JZ : "Reverse Undergroundism"–Traditionally devalued basement space becomes theoperational backbone, allowing the ground plane to prioritize pedestrian joy and ecological continuity.

DI: Who did you collaborate with for this design? Did you work with people with technical / specialized skills?

JZ : Collaborated with:Local architectural design institutefor seismic resilience，Local botanical expertson native rooftop planting.

DI: What is the role of technology in this particular design?

JZ : Technology as"invisible enabler":Smart canopieswith photovoltaic coatings，Geothermal wellsfor 30% energy reduction，App-based co-workingspace allocation.

DI: Is your design influenced by data or analytical research in any way? What kind of research did you conduct for making this design?

JZ : Evidence-based designguided us:Wind tunnel testsfor thermal comfort，Footfall analysisto position retail，Heritage studieson Jiangmen’s arcade typology.

DI: What are some of the challenges you faced during the design/realization of your concept?

JZ : Challenge 1:Phased construction without disrupting urban image.Solution:Strategic "facade" – public buildings completed early to define streetscape.Challenge 2:Reconciling elderly housing tranquility with commercial vibrancy.Solution:Centralized senior apartments buffered by office blocks.

DI: How did you decide to submit your design to an international design competition?

JZ : A' Design Award’s"design for society"ethos aligns with our mission. Submitting to global scrutiny proves Chinejiangmense innovation transcends "scale spectacle" towards human-centered solutions.

DI: What did you learn or how did you improve yourself during the designing of this work?

JZ : Key learnings:Hybrid vigor– Cross-pollinating healthcare/commercial/tech yields unexpected value."Deep sustainability"– Beyond energy metrics, cultural continuity is true resilience.

DI: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?

JZ : This award validates thatcities can heal. By weaving heritage DNA with future-proof systems, we create habitats where technology serves humanity, not vice versa.