The Xinchang Globular Center, a groundbreaking mixed-use sports complex designed by Dr. Zhu Peidong and his team at line+ studio, has officially opened to the public in Zhejiang Province, China. This ambitious project represents one of the province's 41 key major developments and challenges traditional stadium design by combining athletic facilities, commercial spaces, and public programs within a single operational framework. The facility meets international competition standards while serving as a year-round activity center for local residents.
Strategically positioned along Xinchang's northern development corridor near the new high-speed rail station, the 120,000-square-meter complex occupies a site previously designated for infrastructure development in a former industrial zone. The project's location and scale make it comparable to major-city sports venues, but its design philosophy extends far beyond simply hosting competitions. Instead, the architects focused on creating a sustainable operational model that addresses common challenges faced by sports venues in county-level cities, where irregular event schedules often create financial pressures.
The innovative sports mall concept integrates dining, retail, entertainment, hospitality, and exhibition functions around athletics as the primary program. This approach ensures consistent foot traffic and public engagement throughout the day, allowing the facility to support large-scale events while maintaining regular community use. The design team organized the spatial layout following three interconnected principles: normalization of spaces for daily fitness and leisure activities, functional mixing to complement athletic facilities with commercial and social programs, and operational flexibility to accommodate everything from professional competitions to everyday civic activities.
The compact site necessitated dense functional stacking, resulting in a complex that includes a 5,000-seat gymnasium, multiple small-ball training halls, commercial spaces, a ballroom, and a 19-story athlete hotel. A specially constructed vehicular ramp connects the national highway directly to the site, while carefully planned internal circulation systems separate hotel guests, logistics operations, event participants, and general public flows. The main public arrival zone on the north side provides direct access to the gymnasium, training halls, and plaza, while the hotel occupies the quieter southern edge facing the river.
Five major volumes—the main gymnasium, small-ball halls, training halls, and hotel—are connected by a central atrium that functions as an interior urban street. Retail and dining establishments line this central axis, linking the north and south entrances and ensuring continuous activity throughout the complex. The design incorporates an elastic grid system that enables each hall to be reconfigured for multiple event types, responding to the distinct space requirements of different sports.
The main gymnasium, spanning approximately 16,000 square meters, demonstrates remarkable versatility by transforming to accommodate 12 badminton courts, three basketball courts, 14 table tennis courts, or a single tennis court, complete with 5,000 retractable seats. The 7,900-square-meter training hall can house 24 badminton courts or two tennis courts and includes a basement-level fitness center and four-lane swimming pool. A dedicated 6,100-square-meter table tennis hall features dual-height spaces suitable for both table tennis and badminton training.
Unifying the entire complex, a continuous rooftop spans all volumes and includes programming for a soccer field, running track, and viewing platform. This rooftop level remains accessible 24 hours a day through a network of external ramps, maximizing the facility's utility and community engagement potential.
The architectural expression draws inspiration from the region's natural landscape, referencing mountain contours and water movement patterns. A continuous massing strategy and horizontal rhythm define the waterfront interface, while the hotel tower creates a new vertical landmark on the city's northern skyline. The building's distinctive facade features perforated aluminum panels and metal grilles that create varied lighting conditions during the day and establish an illuminated presence at night.
The structural system employs large-span trusses and a frame-core-tube configuration that allows for flexible interior volumes while maintaining construction efficiency. The main gymnasium spans an impressive 75.9 meters, while training halls span between 30 and 36.5 meters, depending on specific program requirements. This engineering approach supports the facility's multi-use capabilities without compromising structural integrity.
Since its opening, the Xinchang Globular Center has successfully hosted major domestic competitions, including the China Badminton Masters and National Table Tennis Championships. The facility is scheduled to host an international snooker event in 2025, further establishing its credentials as a world-class venue. Beyond major competitions, the center maintains a regular schedule of weekly and monthly events, with reported attendance exceeding 220,000 visitors and generating significant economic impact for the region.
By combining sports, leisure, and commercial functions under one roof, the project operates as a continuous urban system rather than an event-specific venue that sits idle between major competitions. This innovative approach demonstrates a scalable model for cities seeking to integrate competitive sports infrastructure with broader urban development goals, showing how thoughtful design can create facilities that serve both elite athletic needs and everyday community requirements.
