Hangzhou’s Urban Icon: Structural Analysis of the Century Center

The Hangzhou Century Center, also known as the “Gate of Hangzhou,” features two 310-meter-high towers connected by a 62-meter-long steel arch bridge. Situated in the Xiaoshan District, this mixed-use development offers luxury hotels, offices, and retail space within a total floor area of over 526,000 square meters. Each 63-story tower integrates a reinforced concrete core and ductile perimeter moment frame to ensure optimal seismic and wind resistance. The central core transitions from an octagonal to rectangular shape along the tower’s height, resisting the majority of lateral loads. The towers’ aerodynamic floor plans taper upward, reducing vortex shedding and wind-induced forces, while the concrete slab system allowed for fast-tracked construction without compromising material efficiency.

The two towers are joined by a 6-arch steel bridge, suspended 34 meters above ground. The bridge serves both functional and architectural roles, housing pedestrian pathways and banquet spaces. Horizontal thrusts are resisted by the concrete cores via continuous floor slabs. The bridge’s geometry was derived using funicular principles to minimize bending and ensure stiffness. Above this structure is a suspended drape roof spanning 60 meters, composed of bidirectional steel grids. The grid’s catenary shape was developed through iterative load-specific analysis, minimizing bending and ensuring efficient axial force transfer. Flat glazing panels were carefully fitted into a doubly curved roof surface by subdividing catenary curves into straight-line segments, simplifying installation and maximizing aesthetic coherence.

Wind tunnel testing confirmed acceptable deformation limits for both roof and sidewalls. Structural analyses indicated that tower displacements under load had negligible impact on the suspended roof system due to the towers’ high stiffness. Construction was sequenced to align with the progression of the towers, with prefabricated steel grid modules hoisted and positioned from the bridge level upward. Final assembly integrated steel edge beams, vertical supports, and restraint systems, followed by installation of glazing. The project utilized finite element modeling to ensure performance under gravity, seismic, and wind loads, culminating in a structurally resilient and visually refined urban gateway.

Following a video with aerial view footage of the marvellous Hangzhou Century Center.