Unveiling of the cloud-like user-controlled headquarters of technology company Alibaba in Shanghai,
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) has unveiled its design for a new headquarters for the leading global technology company, Alibaba, in the Xuhui district of Shanghai, China.
Similar to the “cloud,” the outline, made of interconnected cubic volumes, symbolizes
To Alibaba’s exceptional digital presence in the cloud and the changing sky of innovation in the technology industry.
Founded in 1999, Alibaba is a Chinese multinational technology company specializing in e-commerce,
cloud computing services, digital media, entertainment and innovation.
The 75,000-square-meter headquarters will accommodate the rapid expansion of the multinational Alibaba team with high-quality design features.
The building prioritizes flexibility and healthy work habits for their employees.
The building significantly expands Alibaba’s Shanghai campus,
and is located next to a public-facing building for offices and programming.
Upon completion, the building will contain both indoor and outdoor workspaces that support hybrid work and dynamic and collaborative team structures.
Design features
The office spaces are supported by smart technology infrastructure and biophilic design features.
With the aim of promoting employee wellness, including natural ventilation, terraces and green roofs.
The building is based on a distinctive modular design to become highly efficient and flexible over time.
This allows for extended long span spaces and a variety of enclosed areas for a variety of workstation layouts as teams ebb and flow.
The residence was designed in dialogue with the existing campus,
inverting the adjacent building as it spreads across cantilevered, staggered masses and green terraces.
In the middle of the cloud, there is an inner courtyard that becomes a central location for programming and teamwork.
Along the outer perimeter, collaborative work and gathering spaces extend seamlessly to outdoor terraces.
This provides classmates with access to nature, fresh air, and views of the Huangpu River,
which winds its way through the heart of the city.
The improved long-span structure allows for column-free interior space for ultimate flexibility as teams expand, contract and overlap.
The SOM team also designs “collaboration bridges,
” connecting ladders that create places for exchange and communication on a smaller scale between individual team members.
The building facade aims to provide high performance redirecting up to 40% of solar heat gain and reducing glare and wind tunnels for balcony occupants.
As confirmed by SOM, the building is planned to be naturally ventilated,
with smart systems circulating fresh air and reducing cooling needs in Shanghai’s subtropical climate.
Further moderation of temperature is enabled by an AI-controlled shading system that responds to the movement of the sun and mitigates solar heat gain, further improving building performance.
At the top of the building, roof gardens will collect rainwater.
Designed to exceed LEED v4 and China Green Star requirements,
the new headquarters is targeted at both embodied and operational low carbon.
For more architectural news
