ASPECT Studios recently unveiled the Alibaba Xixi Campus (Park C) in Hangzhou, China. This innovative project establishes new standards for blending natural and built environments, supporting a community of 30,000 people by providing a network of lush, biophilic spaces.
This work seeks to set a new standard for incorporating immersive, nature-inspired landscapes into complex built environments. As a model for future urban development, it demonstrates ASPECT Studios’ dedication to creating places where natural systems and human-centred spaces come together, promoting social vibrancy, biodiversity, and ecological resilience.
“This project represents a dynamic shift in the potential of the complex built environment across Asia, embracing the dynamic beauty of natural systems in the urban environment,”
Stephen Buckle, Design Director of ASPECT Studios,
Green on grey
The 26-hectare Park C stands out for being built entirely on a multi-storey podium structure. Advanced engineering techniques, optimised soil depths, innovative water harvesting systems, and adaptive planting methods have allowed the development of a vibrant showcase of nature.
Weaving water
Using an algorithmic analysis of stormwater, ASPECT Studios carefully designed a series of bio-swales and stormwater channels that form a network of “veins” across the campus, capturing water and feeding it into the central lake. This system, which mimics natural processes, slows, filters, and absorbs runoff, lowering flood risk and replenishing groundwater.
The central lake acts as both a stormwater reservoir and an irrigation source, supporting the park during dry periods, while also being the focal point of the community and event programs. At its centre sits a pavilion that extends over and alongside the water, forming a terrace that brings people closer to the water and to each other.
By integrating water into the foundational thinking of design, water is protected as a natural resource, and resilience and ecological performance are enhanced.
A place for people
At the centre of the campus landscape is a humanistic design philosophy—one that aims to enhance people’s daily lives through diverse experiences, better connectivity, and improved wellbeing.
The design focuses on the individual and collective needs of its users, creating an inclusive, lively environment where people can work, relax, and connect in ways that support both their personal and professional growth. This vision is brought to life through open and accessible spaces that promote movement, exploration, and teamwork.
Strategically positioned across the campus based on population flow, movement patterns, and sunlight analysis, several floating architectural elements or “halo canopies” that offer shade, shelter, and a visual identity for the park overall.
The BioHabiNet
Central to the design was the “BioHabiNet” concept, an evidence-based design framework that integrates biodiversity, sustainable water systems, habitats, and community-oriented spaces. The project:
- Establishes a biodiverse ecosystem across the campus that responds to the local microclimate (Bio)
- Creates a healthy habitat for both wildlife and people (Habi)
- Forges an organic, cellular series of interconnective networks (Net）
The BioHabiNet framework was designed to create pathways for future advancements in complex urban settings that focus on the dynamic management of natural systems. This approach— which values water, biodiversity, and people as essential elements of good built environment design—could similarly be applied in other contexts.
Setting new standards
The Alibaba Xixi Campus (Park C) is more than a workplace landscape. It is an attempt to set new standards for urban resilience, the integration of natural systems, and human-centred design within the confines of a complex, multi-layered built environment.
Alibaba Xixi Campus (Park C)
Location: Hangzhou, P.R. China
Landscape Architect: ASPECT Studios
ASPECT Studios Design Team
Design Director/Principal – Stephen Buckle
Associate – Ann Yang, Sam Xu
Project Team – Ann Yang, Sam Xu, Haining Feng, Ella Chen, Christina Ma, Kevin Shi, Karen Feng, Cherry Lei, Jay Yang, Lemon Liao, Pigeons Chua, Honghui Zhang, Lauren Fu
Architectural Design: Nihon Sekkei
Interior Design: Cheng Chung Design IDEAL Design & Construction(Office), BHArchitects (Visitor)
Lightning Designer: RLD
Signage Designer: SHIYU
Artwork: Whale Bay art Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts
Landscape LDI: Hangzhou Garden Design Institute Co. LTD
Contractor: Shanghai Construction Group Shenzhen Wenke Gardening Industry Co.,Ltd.
Photography: Wang Wenjie