Hong Kong – The National Cybersecurity and Innovation Base located in Wuhan Airport Economic Development Zone began construction in 2016, with its landmark building first opened for use in 2019. The Zone is poised to be a cybersecurity academy and R&D centre, conglomerating industry expertise and academic research.
Led by Aedas Executive Director Zi Huan Lin, Aedas won the design competition of Wuhan National Cybersecurity Center Core Phase 2. The centre is located in the heart of the zone, with key links to all major amenities. The design proposes an amalgamated layout of commercial, office, apartment and innovation hubs that can be naturally integrated with the surrounding urban fabric. The site also connects with an exhibition centre, an ecological park and metro connections, creating a new mixed-use destination in Wuhan.
“Being a crucial development in China’s network security field, the base requires meticulous planning in order to accommodate high-tech enterprises of such scale. We hope to capitalise on the excellent landscape conditions and the innovative climate, to build a stimulating office oasis that will foster creative collaboration,” says Aedas Executive Director Zi Huan Lin.
The design draws inspiration from the concept of “information flow”, with abstract and interspersed lines on the horizontal façade representing the digital flow of information. The fluidity and futurism of the design captures vivid imaginations around the cyberspace.
To enhance the internal connectivity, the design adopts a streamlined layout to build a connection between the two plots. Visitors are allowed to roam freely through the ground floor breezeway. The sunken plaza on the west is seamlessly connected to the metro station. Civic amenities are located adjacent to each other, including a cultural centre, a MICE centre, a library, a museum and an art centre. A ground-floor podium connects amenities on the west of the site, while an elevated garden on the second floor connects the apartment tower to the park. The five office towers stand side-by-side, creating an iconic and undulating skyline.
The design is conceptualized as a “Cyber Valley”, acting as a metaphor for the interconnected cyberspace. Positioned as a national key digital backbone, the centre will play a critical role in nurturing talent and driving innovation. It will be a vibrant green terrace with adjoined landscape plazas, scenic viewing corridors and floating green platforms. In this interspersed hub, different functions are organically integrated with greenery to create a retreat suited for work and leisure.
Grounded in the concept of commune, the cultural centre complements the public space at the core of the site. The north-south pedestrian flow is channeled to various supporting facilities including training centres, retail, office, and biophilic public areas.
Two thematic commercial spaces sit on the west of the site, consisting of the technology plaza and the cultural retail street. They provide a diversified experience to visitors that encompass technology exhibitions, boutique businesses and F&B. The flexible office space above is designed to cater to the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises. Private drop-off areas are designed for each individual tower, resulting in an efficient circulation strategy that segregates pedestrian flow towards office and apartment towers.
“We hope to create a design that is fluid and lively, enhancing not only connection among functionalities but between people and the environment. The centre is designed to emblemise the future of prosperity and urban development of Wuhan,” – said Zi Huan Lin, Executive Director.
