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CHINA: Hangzhou Explorations, 8: Qianjiang New City around Citizen Centre

Written by Laszlo, 27 October 2022

When it comes to megacities or generally to large settlements, it is often difficult to find only one, actual city centre within their administrative bodies. Cities like these normally have many centres also known as Central Business Districts or simply CBDs. A visitor, however, likes to identify a quasi centre where many or most of the cities main attractions are situated. (For example Champ de Mars in Paris where, among others, the Eiffel Tower can be found. It is not a typical Paris Centre, but it has sufficient central functions that makes it highly attractive and as a signature landmark of the city.) This is also important for navigation purposes and understanding how the city takes up its space.

Hangzhou's central urban area in this sense is located in the western side of Shangcheng District (上城区), and the so-called Qianjiang New City (钱江新城) can be identified as one of Hangzhou's functional city centres and the most central, shiny CBD. The area this post is now focusing on is the quasi "main square", which is a large open space, Qianjiang New City Square (钱江新城市政广场) squeezing in between Citizen Centre (市民中心) and the Qiantang River (钱塘江).

The area is also commonly referred to as Citizen Centre (市民中心), because the metro stop at the intersection of line 4 and 7 identifies this, precise geographical location, which was named after a government building here called Hangzhou Qianjiang Xincheng Citizen's Centre (杭州钱江新城市民中心). Most of the underground space is utilised (see metro lines, metro stops, and a large shopping area). The open space and its surroundings here then give home to many Hangzhou's landmark buildings. Among others, the most notable of these buildings is the Hangzhou International Conference Centre (杭州国际会议中心), which looks like a giant, golden ball, which is also known as The Golden Ball. The conference centre also accommodates the InterContinental Hangzhou, an internationally renowned hotel management company; thus, a posh hotel. The main building consists of an oval podium section which is 12 meters high and an upper sphere with a diameter of 85 meters.

Opposite to the International Conference Centre, the Hangzhou Grand Theatre (杭州大剧院) occupies a large portion of the square. The building with its majestic fountain (known also as the Musical Fountain) without doubt forms an important attraction and landmark of Hangzhou. The building was designed by Carlos Ott, a famous Canadian theatre designer. Completed and put into use in July 2004. The square part of the Grand Theatre is closely integrated with the Qianjiang New City Square, which comes with the so-called "Musical Fountain". The attraction was put into use in October 2015 and performs a light show several times a week on set days and time (normally on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday evenings between 19:30 and 20:30 in the Summer calendar and between 18:30 and 19:30 in the winter time frame). The 30-minute-performance is divided into three chapters: "Water Spirit", "City Soul" and "Light and Shadow", aiming to reflect the urban characteristics of Hangzhou's "city", "water", "light" and "shadow".

Qianjiang New City Square (钱江新城市政广场) is surrounded by shiny, high-rise buildings and they together form an integral part of the "square experience". What we may call as the signature view of the square is an aesthetic and artistic performance of these buildings. Their grandeur is strongly highlighted on a bright, sunny day or at a peaceful night when the musical fountain and all the buildings put on a breath-taking, highly impressive light and music show.

The southern end of the square is a landscape platform known as the City Balcony (城市阳台). It is built on the embankment of the Qiantang River with an outer river surface of 80 meters and a width of 320 meters. It offers great views over both the square and the river.

 

Qianjiang New City Square in bright daylight

Night lights at Qianjiang New City Square