The Arcade Conference Center

Superimpose Architecture has completed The Arcade, a 2,600-square-metre conference centre embedded inside the basement of a mixed-use commercial tower in Hangzhou, for the client Hangzhou Haiyue Real Estate. The central challenge was that the site was underground and almost completely devoid of daylight, yet the programme had to feel warm, bright and pleasant enough to attract young, trend-conscious clients to gather, work and socialise. Most design moves were therefore directed at lighting and atmosphere. Borrowing the European typology of the covered arcade, Superimpose lined the corridor with retail units placed on either side of a colonnade, and simulated skylights on the ceiling through long linear soft-diffuser light fixtures laid along two crossing axes. These linear luminaires act both as wayfinding beacons and as a potential future exhibition spine. Exposed concrete columns deliberately continue the arcade concept along the two main axes, and functional facade units are slotted between them in an ordered rhythm. Meeting rooms and a multi-function hall sit behind a white entry unit; each facade unit has a specific use, and the folding doors of the multi-function hall can open completely to allow flexible use as a lecture theatre or a larger event space. Every meeting room has its own spatial identity through colour, lighting and furniture, while the multi-function hall borrows the architectural language of a forum square, with seats arranged in a semicircle and linear lights following the arc to create a flowing rhythm; oak slats and a red carpet support acoustics and a warm mood. Above reception floats a unique elliptical light installation that eases the visual transition from the brighter exterior to the darker interior and symbolises fusion, exchange and the circulation of ideas. Reception is kept deliberately spare, with an open ceiling to avoid blocking light or sightlines, and an adjoining living-room lounge and coffee bar offer a relaxed working atmosphere. Completed in 2021 and photographed by Wu Qingshan, The Arcade converts a conditionally poor underground space into a creative gathering place, and it is expected to draw young people to socialise and work in the heart of Hangzhou.