Built environment 
By: Karissa Rosenfield, Archdaily.com
Pictures courtesy of Trahan Architects
Trahan Architects in USA have proposed a 4,3 million square-foot mixed-use development in Zhengzhou, China – the capital and largest city of the Henan province, with a population of 8,6 million. The concept forms part of a broad-scale master plan for redeveloping Zhengzhou through ecological and infrastructure development.
Located in central China, Zhengzhou is experiencing rapid re-development. Zhengzhou’s plan, labelled ‘The Rise of Central China’, is implementing a two-part initiative: ecological and infrastructural development. Ecological development prioritises the surrounding natural resources, such as forest parks, scenic areas, wetlands/reserves, rivers/lakes and urban green space. The infrastructural development addresses an emerging market identified as ‘Logistics Industry’.
Zhengzhou is to serve as an integrated hub for the import and export of goods, and mass transportation connecting east and west. 
The project site is located in the historic city centre which is the primary shopping district just north of the main train station and just south of People’s Park, a large public park. Erqi Monument resides to the south-west corner of the site and is the primary tourist attraction in Zhengzhou. The monument is a 27-floor double pagoda dedicated to a worker strike that happened on 7 February 1923.
Challenging central China’s conventional typology, the proposed design blends the hotel and live/work top with the retail base. In order to maximise and prioritise the corners of the site, the hotel and live/work programme are rotated over the corners, framing the exterior and interior.
Green boulevards flow into and up the edges of the site to create a green urban space at the mezzanine level. Envisioned as an entertainment level, patrons can enjoy amenities and an elevated view of the city. The retail base steps down in plan and section for greater connectivity to the adjacent urban edges. The gradated triangulated façade reinforces corners and programmatic relationships from floor to floor.
Project information:
• Architect: Trahan Architects
• Location: Zhengzhou, China
• Principal Architect: Trey Trahan, FAIA
• Senior Designer: Mark Hash
• Project Team: Art Terry, Michael McCune and Kim Nguyen
• Floor Area: 400 000 square metres
• Cost: R6.98 billion ( US$880 million)
• Completion: To be announced
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