Revolutionizing Office Spaces: The Huahe Headquarters by gad

Transforming Material Research into Architectural Innovation

The Huahe Headquarters is an architectural masterpiece that stands out due to its unique location on an extremely narrow North-South site. gad has ingeniously designed the building to maximize the use of the site. The North-South facade is made up of a glass curtain, providing an expansive display for the corporation's products, as per their requirement. The windows are strategically angled to eliminate glare, adding to the building's aesthetic appeal and functionality.

One of the key features of this design is its transparency. gad, in collaboration with structural engineers, has achieved this by implementing a two-line column grid in the building. This design element is most evident in the double-height hall on the top floor, which houses just one column, showcasing the architectural space's transparency.

Another notable feature of the Huahe Headquarters is the corridor and hanging garden on the 12th floor, which stretch 33.6m from south to north. The design team chose a prestressed concrete beam for the long span, considering construction and maintenance costs, technology, and appearance. The effectiveness of stretching is ensured by placing prestressed steel into the beam.

gad's commitment to excellence is evident in the façade glass curtain's exquisite, smooth, and pure white effect. This was achieved after a year of multiple trials on color and texture. The supersize high permeability glass coordinates with a new type of perforated aluminum plate, contributing to the façade's excellent effect. The perforated aluminum plate, an invention by gad and constructors, is fine in detail and shines in the sun.

The Huahe Headquarters is not just an office space; it also serves as a display for the company's products. This dual function was a challenge given the site's narrowness. However, gad, in collaboration with structural engineers, solved this problem by arranging a widespread transparent curtain wall alongside the edge length, turning the entire headquarters into a display case in its surroundings.

Located in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, the Huahe Headquarters project started in March 2015. The design was awarded the Golden A' Construction and Real Estate Projects Design Award in 2019, a testament to the creative genius and wisdom of gad. The award is granted to marvelous, outstanding, and trendsetting creations that advance art, science, design, and technology, embodying extraordinary excellence and significantly impacting the world with their desirable characteristics.