ASPECT Studios has unveiled a revolutionary landscape architecture project that sets new standards for integrating natural environments within complex urban developments. The Alibaba Xixi Campus (Park C) in Hangzhou, China, represents a pioneering approach to biophilic design, serving a community of 30,000 people through an innovative network of lush, nature-based spaces.

Completed in 2024, this groundbreaking 26-hectare project demonstrates ASPECT Studios' commitment to designing spaces where natural systems and human-centered environments converge seamlessly. The development fosters social vibrancy, biodiversity, and ecological resilience while establishing a blueprint for future urban developments across Asia.

Stephen Buckle, Design Director of ASPECT Studios, emphasized the project's significance in representing a dynamic shift in urban development potential across Asia. "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," Buckle stated. He noted that Park C symbolizes a growing appreciation in Asia for complex, multilayered natural environments in urban settings.

What makes Park C particularly remarkable is its construction entirely atop a multistory podium structure. This ambitious undertaking required sophisticated engineering solutions, optimized soil depths, innovative water harvesting systems, and adaptive planting strategies to create a flourishing celebration of nature in an entirely artificial environment.

The project's water management system represents a masterpiece of sustainable design. Using algorithmic analysis of stormwater patterns, ASPECT Studios carefully designed a series of bio-swales and stormwater channels that form a network of "veins" throughout the campus. This intricate system captures rainwater and channels it into the central lake, mimicking natural water systems by slowing, filtering, and absorbing runoff while reducing flood risk and replenishing groundwater.

The central lake serves multiple functions as both a stormwater reservoir and an irrigation source, supporting the park through drier periods while also functioning as the centerpiece of the community and event programming. At the heart of the lake sits an elegant pavilion that sweeps above and alongside the water, creating a terrace that brings people into close proximity with both the water and each other.

By integrating water management into the foundational design philosophy, the project protects water as a natural resource while improving resilience and ecological performance. The design prioritizes both individual and collective needs of users, fostering an inclusive, dynamic atmosphere where people can work, relax, and interact in ways that support personal and professional growth.

This vision materializes through open and accessible spaces that encourage movement, exploration, and collaboration. Strategically positioned across the campus based on population flow, movement patterns, and sunlight analysis, several floating architectural elements called "halo canopies" provide shade, shelter, and establish a cohesive visual identity for the park.

Central to the design philosophy was the innovative "BioHabiNet" concept, an evidence-based design framework that integrates biodiversity, sustainable water systems, habitats, and community-oriented spaces. This comprehensive approach establishes a biodiverse ecosystem across the campus that responds to local microclimate conditions while creating healthy habitats for both wildlife and people. The framework forges an organic, cellular series of interconnective networks throughout the development.

The BioHabiNet framework was specifically developed to provide a pathway for future developments in complex urban environments based on the dynamic curation of natural systems. This innovative thinking, which values water, biodiversity, and people as key elements of good built environment design, offers a model that could be readily applied to other urban developments worldwide.

Photographer Wang Wenjie documented the completed project, capturing the seamless integration of natural and built environments. The project team included Nihon Sekkei as architecture offices, Tongji Architectural Design (Group) Co., Ltd for interior design, RLD for engineering consulting and lighting, and Shanghai Construction Group along with Shenzhen Wenke Gardening Industry Co., Ltd. for additional engineering and consulting services.

The Alibaba Xixi Campus (Park C) transcends the traditional concept of workplace landscape architecture. It represents an ambitious attempt to establish new standards for urban resilience, natural systems integration, and human-centered design within the constraints of complex multilayered built environments. The project demonstrates how thoughtful landscape architecture can create spaces that serve both ecological and human needs while providing a sustainable model for future urban development across Asia and beyond.

This innovative approach to landscape architecture showcases how major technology companies are increasingly recognizing the importance of biophilic design in creating work environments that support both employee wellbeing and environmental sustainability. The success of Park C positions ASPECT Studios at the forefront of sustainable urban design, offering valuable insights for architects and planners working on similar complex urban developments worldwide.