A riverside cluster of sculpted office towers introduces a dynamic urban form and generous public realm to the heart of Beijing’s Tongzhou district.

New Landmark on Tongzhou Riverside

Located on Binhe Road in Beijing’s rapidly developing Tongzhou district, the Vanke Tongzhou River Plaza is a 184,622 square metre mixed-use development that combines office and retail programmes with a vibrant green public realm. CLOU architects’ concept creates five distinctive towers arranged to maximise river views and urban connectivity, offering a new civic destination along the canal bank.

Urban Integration and Views

The development’s siting capitalises on the urban corridor between the river and the city’s commercial axis. A layered approach to height zoning steps the towers from 36 metres to 80 metres, creating a skyline rhythm that preserves views and visual transparency across the city. The scheme forms a “forest of buildings”, integrating with adjacent parks and public spaces.

Public Realm and Circulation

The masterplan introduces a sequence of civic spaces including a riverfront park, sunken plaza, and a public square facing the water. Pedestrian connectivity is enhanced through a continuous network of pathways that flow between and under the towers, linking the city to the river.

Dynamic Massing Strategy

The five towers adopt an inverted pyramid form, with larger upper floors optimising leasable space and upper-level views, while the smaller ground floors open up generous public areas. Oval tower plans create a fluid composition and improve circulation. The rooftops feature shared green terraces, extending the landscape into the sky.

Façade and Materiality

Inspired by the Tongzhou riverbank, the tower façades combine vertical louvers and translucent curtain walling to evoke the motion of water. The architectural expression is both legible and rhythmic, blending vertical greenery and horizontal terraces. Materials include a black aluminium louver grid, silver aluminium spandrel panels, and translucent glass, anchored by rooftop gardens that further root the buildings within the natural setting.

Design Intent

Drawing on the metaphor of a riverine forest, the project reimagines high-density office typologies as a civic destination, integrating commercial value with a generous public experience. Vanke Tongzhou River Plaza demonstrates CLOU architects’ approach to shaping built form through layered programming and strong urban narratives.