MAD Architects, led by Ma Yansong, and China Academy of Building Research Co., Ltd. (consortium) won the international design competition for the Chongqing Cuntan International Cruise Center project.

Chongqing Cuntan International Cruise Center is located in the Cuntan Port area of ​​Chongqing Liangjiang New District (Cuntan International Cruise Home Port Core Area). The site is currently a cargo terminal. The project planning is based on the current situation and is transformed to form an international cruise home port city complex. The project covers an area of ​​66,000 square meters and a total construction area of ​​65,000 square meters, including 15,000 square meters of cruise port and 50,000 square meters of commercial space. Chongqing Municipal Planning and Natural Resources Bureau, together with Liangjiang New District Management Committee and Chongqing Jiangbeizui Investment Group, organized this international competition, and dozens of design institutions (consortiums) from 7 countries and regions signed up.

Regarding the vision of this overall transformation, Ma Yansong believes: "Chongqing has mountains and rivers. The Yangtze River in Chongqing is not only a natural landscape, but also full of sports energy due to human activities such as ship traffic and industrial transportation. We hope to transform this energy of Chongqing from industrial traces into energy that inspires imagination. People can feel the kinetic energy of the city here, and at the same time, they will imagine the future public space."

"Gantry Crane"

Overhead Science Fiction Walking City

During the on-site exploration, Ma Yansong was impressed by the large orange-red "gantry cranes" that filled the cargo docks. He said: "These gantry cranes are like living alien creatures, giving people a surreal sense of picture. The new design should not only reflect the former industrial color, but also respect this original surreal sense. The overhead buildings we designed are like free-moving cities, as if they have moved here from somewhere else, or perhaps one day they will travel to somewhere else, full of a sense of the future."

Photography: Zhang Kunkun

The 430-meter-long Yangtze River Scenic Skywalk consists of six independent and interconnected overhead buildings. From a distance, the ups and downs of the "gantry crane" reproduce the busy rhythm of the industrial freight terminal cranes in color and space.

The building is cleverly raised above the ground, allowing people inside the building to have a wide view of the river without being blocked by the dock hoisting device.

The building's metal aluminum curtain wall adds a surreal feel to the venue and also brings a sense of freshness to the multifunctional business formats such as the urban living room, shops, and restaurants inside the building.

Building structure diagram

Urban public space

Site height difference Landscape green axis

Below the "floating" is the cruise landscape park and cruise hall.

The cruise landscape park designed by MAD extends the Cuntan Central Golden Axis to the pier, connecting the pier park on the riverside in front and the Century Cuntan Park behind, forming a nearly 100,000 square meter urban green space that perfectly integrates with the Central Golden Axis. This design allows citizens to use the venue in a diversified way to the greatest extent. Even if they do not take a cruise, they can freely access here to enjoy the natural beauty of the city and the Yangtze River.

The axial extension of the landscape to the pier forms a complete, green and ecological urban park.

Subway and bus passengers enter the site through the commercial landscape, enhancing comfort and accessibility

While enhancing the vision, the overall planning will strengthen the hub status of the cruise center

The overall site is transparent and coherent, promoting the green development of urban ecology

The hub hall of the cruise center is located below the cruise landscape park, which can reach both the "floating gantry crane" and the ground landscape park.

The cruise center design brings natural light into the interior through skylights, while the cantilevered upper part of the building avoids direct sunlight.

After completion, the Cuntan International Cruise Center will transform industrial memory into urban imagination. It will be a unique urban landmark in Chongqing.

In April 2021, Chongqing approved the overall planning of Cuntan International New City and the urban design of the cruise home port area, and determined to layout key projects of the International Cruise Center in this area. The planned area of ​​Cuntan International New City is about 6 square kilometers, of which the core area of ​​Cuntan International Cruise Home Port is planned to cover an area of ​​1.6 square kilometers. It is planned to create "ship, port, city, travel, shopping, and entertainment integration" and develop the world's first inland cruise port.

The Cuntan International Cruise Center is expected to start construction in November 2022 and be completed in 2027.

Current situation of Cuntan Photo by: Zhang Kunkun

Master Plan

Chongqing Cuntan International Cruise Center
Chongqing, China
2021-2027

Type: Public Transportation
Land Area: 66,000 m2
Gross Floor Area: 65,000 m2
Cruise Port: 15,000 m2
Commercial: 50,000 m2

Partners in Charge: Ma Yansong, Dang Qun, Hayano Yosuke
Partners in Charge: Liu Huiying
Design Team: Yang Xuebing, Lei Kaiyun, Wang Ruipeng, Chen Wei, Ning Tong, Wang Yiding

Consortium: China Academy of Building Research Co., Ltd.
Bidding Team: Xiao Congzhen, Wang Jun, Ren Zhixiang, Wang Yi, Ba Rong, Chen Zhenjiang, Chu Jianwei, Zhao Yanping, Xu Yuqi, Tang Jiewei, Gao Tian, ​​Zhang Xiaoxuan, Li Zhaohui, Sun Ruisi, Chang Guibin, Feng Jiaying
Owner: Chongqing Cuntan International Cruise Home Port Development Co., Ltd.
Organizer: Chongqing Cuntan Area Development and Construction Leading Group Office
Organizer: Chongqing Jiangbeizui Central Business District Investment Group Co., Ltd.
Guidance: Chongqing Planning and Natural Resources Bureau
Consultant: China Architecture Society
Organizer: Chongqing Planning and Design Institute