Raffles City Hangzhou is a sustainable urban hub for living, working and leisure. A rich mix of 24/7 functions, within two streamlined towers set atop a podium and plaza, includes residential, offices, hotel, retail, restaurants and leisure. The design of the towers and podium facades interplay contrasting textures. While the podium facades are cladded in a shimmering scale-like skin of aluminum tiles, the towers feature an outer layer of rotated, vertical solar-shading fins, placed atop the curtain wall system, accentuating the tower’s characteristic twist. Situated at the centre of the retail spine, a spectacular atrium is designed as a spiral of overlapping layers, creating seamless connectivity and extensive sightlines between the spaces. This project is the first retail mall in China to use natural ventilation on a large scale and has achieved Gold LEED certification.