MAD Architects has announced the completion of the ZGC International Innovation Center in Beijing. Spanning a total floor area of approximately 699,654 square feet, the structure was designed to serve as the permanent venue for the annual Zhongguancun Forum (ZGC Forum).

The forum is an international conference centered around innovation and technology. It is held annually in the Zhongguancun area of Beijing’s Haidian District, which is a major tech hub that hosts numerous high-tech companies, startups, and research institutions. 

According to the architects, the Center, which takes on the shape of a clover, was designed to foster a deep connection between humanity, the city, and the environment.

It blends into its surroundings through an accessible, approximately 182,986-square-foot green roof park, consisting of trees, gardens, walkways, and architectural features, that extends the nearby gardens and hills. The roof, characterized by soft, fluid shapes, cantilevers, providing shade, shelter, and space for social interaction

It is also composed of 2,769 fluorocarbon-coated, double-curved honeycomb aluminum panels. These panels, arranged in varying patterns of density, facilitate rainwater collection. At night, lights hidden within the roof louvers synchronize with the rooflines, which creates a sense of movement, echoing the traffic on the surrounding city roads.

The building’s height is also limited and, instead, was made to gently spread from north to south. Accessible urban public spaces sit beneath the overhanging roof. Additionally, a sunken garden ensures that the underground spaces in the building are filled with natural light, making them feel and appear like above ground spaces.

The transparent façade curtain wall, characterized by its lightness and fluidity, follows the organic curves of the building’s sculptural form. The large glass panels and concealed framing system blur the boundary between inside and outside. 

The Center’s interior features a simple design, which is characterized as open and airy. The architects took this approach in order to create user-friendly spaces that enhance social interaction and promote engagement. There are two giant ETFE membrane skylights, which allow natural light to flood the interiors. In addition, there are adjustable color temperature lights that move along the building’s curves.

The structure’s functional space is organized in a zigzag pattern, with the main venue, including a banquet hall and multi-function hall, on the first floor. There are a series of smaller meeting rooms and VIP loungers on the basement level.

The Center employs renewable energy sources, such as photovoltaic systems and ground-source heat pumps. It also uses secondary energy-efficiency electromechanical equipment to create a zero-energy conference room, reducing carbon emissions by over 50% compared to other surrounding public buildings.

The 14th Annual Meeting of the ZGC Forum was held at the new site in April.