CapitaLand announced the completion of the eighth and final skyscraper of Raffles City Chongqing.The company plans to open the highly anticipated 1.12-million-square-metre (sqm) megastructure in 2H 2019.
The company also announced the structural completion of the development’s 250-m-high sky bridge – The Crystal, which enjoys the distinction as the world’s highest sky bridge linking six of Raffles City Chongqing’s eight skyscrapers.
The company will open a mall within megastructure in 2H 2019 with 450 shops, including flagship stores of China retail icons – NIO, CGV, Yanjiyou and Ole’.
Mr Lucas Loh, President (China & Investment Management), CapitaLand Group, said: “The successful topping out of Raffles City Chongqing represents a new milestone in CapitaLand’s track record of building well-designed integrated spaces. It demonstrates our multi-faceted capabilities in delivering a vertically-built riverfront urban district seamlessly integrated with a major transportation hub comprising ferry, subway and bus stations. After six years of construction using state-of-the-art engineering technologies, we are proud to present in Raffles City Chongqing an iconic architectural form resembling a powerful sail surging forward on the historic Chaotianmen site. Conceived as a landmark urban renewal project to power generations of economic growth, the megastructure is on track to set sail with Chongqing’s global city ambitions from 2H 2019.”
“Upon Raffles City Chongqing’s structural completion, we are now focusing on the interior fit-out works, including transplanting trees to enliven The Crystal sky bridge, which will feature the tallest observation deck across Western China. Positioned as a must-visit destination for local residents as well as domestic and overseas travellers, Raffles City Chongqing has been garnering strong response from our customers. To date, Raffles City Chongqing has launched three residential towers with a total of 772 units, out of which 72% have been sold. The development’s five-storey shopping mall will house some 450 retailers offering a great variety of fashion, dining, lifestyle and entertainment options. We will continue to engage homebuyers, retailers and companies who are keen to be a part of this prestigious development.”
Raffles City Chongqing comprises eight skyscrapers. Two of these are 350-m-high supertall skyscrapers known as Chongqing’s tallest buildings; one of which also holds the honour of China’s tallest residential tower. The other six skyscrapers are about 250 m tall each. Known as Raffles City Chongqing’s ninth “horizontal skyscraper”, The Crystal is an enclosed sky bridge nestled above four of the 250-m-tall skyscrapers and links two adjacent skyscrapers by cantilevered bridges. Measuring 300 m in length, 32.5 m in width and 26.5 m in height, it is the world’s highest sky bridge linking the most number of towers. Designed by world-renowned architect Moshe Safdie, Raffles City Chongqing’s form is inspired by the historic images of great Chinese sailing vessels and pays tribute to Chongqing’s noble past as a trading centre.
Raffles City Chongqing has received an Honourable Distinction for the China Tall Building Innovation Award. It is also Chongqing city’s largest development to be accorded the LEED-CS pre-certification (Gold Level) by the United States Green Building Council, which recognises best-in-class building strategies and practices.
