china world trade center

Project Details

Client : China World Trade Center Ltd.
Location : Beijing CBD, China
Project Type : Master Plan, Architecture, Interior
Program : Retail, Entertainment, Office, Exhibition, Hotel
Site Area : 1,136,669 square feet
Building Area: 3,579,000 square feet
Status: Completed

**Project completed during tenure at 5+design

An Evolving Urban Campus

China World Trade Center (CWTC) is one of the world’s largest and most comprehensive high-end business service complexes, anchoring Beijing’s CBD as a destination for commerce, culture, and urban life. Developed in multiple phases since the 1990s, the campus has grown into a highly successful yet complex ensemble of offices, hotels, retail, and public space. CWTC has also played a leading role in shaping Beijing’s night economy, supported by integrated strategies in lighting, transportation, security, and amenities that enable the campus to operate as a true 24-hour destination.

Master Planning and Architectural Integration

The team served as master plan architect for the overall campus while also acting as the lead architecture and interior design architects for the luxury retail center and the Modern Wing Phase 3B. The central challenge was to bring coherence to a campus that had been built incrementally over decades, with varying architectural languages and material expressions—many of which had become historically significant and commercially successful. Rather than overwrite this legacy, a set of unifying design principles and a refined material palette were developed to align existing buildings and new interventions into a clear, contemporary framework that respects the past while enabling long-term evolution.

Phase 3B and a New Public Horizon

The Phase 3B addition introduces a contemporary architectural layer that expands the campus vertically, culminating in an elevated roof platform overlooking the Third Ring Road with panoramic views of the Beijing CBD skyline. As the first destination of its kind in Beijing, the rooftop became an instant public attraction upon opening, redefining the relationship between retail, public space, and the city. Together, renovation and new construction are seamlessly integrated into a single vision—positioning CWTC as a symbol of sustainable urban development and a model for how large-scale, long-term campuses can adapt, unify, and thrive over time.