Located in a prominent urban core of Linping, AnShe Headquarters Park occupies a site that was once a rare piece of urban "green jade"—vibrant, peaceful, and untouched—one of the last remaining natural pockets within the ever-intensifying urban grid.
What kind of architecture can truly resonate with the identity of the local community? How can spatial transformation ensure that a building, emerging from this "green jade," continues to evoke an emotional connection with its people?
The design places emotional resonance and genuine human needs at the core of its strategy. Through a modest and restrained approach to scale, the fashion brand's headquarters is shaped into an open and calming community interface. Within the rigid grid of high-intensity urban development, the project introduces a distinctive structural rhythm—while making room for everyday encounters and human connection.
The project is located in the core area of Linping District, Hangzhou, close to key urban landmarks such as Linping Grand Theater designed by Henning Larsen Architects and Yishang Town.
The total planned site area is approximately 14,470 square meters, comprising three main buildings and attached owner's brand concept stores. The complex includes a hybrid functions: offices, exhibitions, and brand-owned retail spaces.
项目由milanesi | paiusco设计,未来将作为黯涉总部园区投入使用,为旗下 Chuu、NO ONE ELSE等品牌提供一体化的办公与运营空间。
Designed by "milanesi | paiusco design and research", the project will serve as the headquarters campus of AnShe, housing the integrated office and operational spaces of its brands including Chuu and NO ONE ELSE.
It is designed not only to serve internal operations but also to establish an open community that connects the company members, the neighborhood, and the city interface. The design phase has been completed, and the project is expected to be completed by 2027.
At the heart of the design is a clear metaphor:
“The Net”
This “net” is both the structural framework of the building and a symbol of the invisible order and connection among society, cities, and industries. In contrast stands “The Core”—the presence and thoughts of the inpidual.
The design responds to a key question:
Within the established structural order and connection of “The Net,” how can inpidual presence be recognized and seen?
Beyond the metaphor, the project also responds to a contemporary condition that is both social and emotional. In an era when daily life is often confined to efficient yet impersonal towers, there is a growing desire, among the locals, for environments that offer proximity to nature and a sense of serenity. Reflecting this shift, the project embraces a raw and pure architectural language to cultivate a gentle space where people, architecture and nature coexist.
m | p 与擅长将自然语汇与场地精神融合的张唐景观携手合作。园林景观自由穿梭于建筑之间,以丰富而多样的植物系统,营造出生动的自然层次,为置身其中的人们提供情绪调节与身心修复的支持。
m|p collaborated with Z+T Studio, landscape master in blending natural elements with the spirit of the site. The landscape weaves freely between the buildings, with a rich and perse planting system that brings vibrant layers of nature to the campus and offering healing and restoration to those within the space.
As China's urbanization process accelerates, people's vision for architecture is shifting—from pursuing visual symbolism to focusing more on how buildings can better align with everyday life, respond to urban environment, meet community needs, and promote a harmonious coexistence between people and urban spaces. In response to the public's growing attention to human-scale and urban integration, the project adopts a strategy of "non-dominant intervention": instead of overwhelming its surroundings, it quietly embeds into the neighborhood with openness and restraint.
Originally designated for office towers, the site was re-imagined through close collaboration among the design team, client, and planning authorities. The resulting scheme caps building height at seven stories—reflecting a shift toward human-scaled environments and a more contextual approach to urban integration. Brand-operated cafés, restaurant, and cultural spaces anchor the site in daily life, fostering a shared community environment open to both brand members and neighbors.
While the massing remains subtle, the project carries this restraint through to its construction, emphasizing material authenticity over decorative treatments.
Once praised for its structural logic and construction efficiency, fair faced concrete—the project's primary material—has become trapped between two misreadings: as a symbol of refined "luxury", and as an emblem of "unsustainability".
But is this dichotomy truly accurate, or is it an oversimplification? The design explores architectural technology and material innovation as a means to reframe the potential and applicability of fair faced concrete.
The project approaches design through its concrete structure, using it as a shared foundation for both spatial organization and architectural expression. By rationalizing the load-bearing elements, the total concrete volume was reduced by approximately 30%, resulting in a lighter and more efficient structural system. At the same time, the design departs from traditional column grids, enabling clear, flexible floor space that accommodate evolving programmatic needs.
To reduce environmental impact, the design uses low-clinker mixes, where 30% of cement is replaced with recycled industrial byproducts, combined with smart admixtures to maintain performance while cutting emissions.
In terms of construction techniques, the project adopts a pragmatic hybrid strategy. The main structure employs China's well-established cast-in-place concrete system, ensuring precision and stability. Meanwhile, the façade utilizes a prefabricated assembly system, minimizing on-site casting and labor demands through modular installation. This combination strengthens construction control while preserving the tactile honesty of the material.
Technical innovation enables the design to meaningfully address human needs and emotional resonance. Through a synergy of structural optimization, recycled materials, and hybrid construction technologies, fair-faced concrete is given new possibilities, allowing the structural language to return to its raw strength.
The architecture is yet unfinished, but the brand's emotions and values have already quietly taken root in this once-untouched land. What it conveys is not a decorative gesture, but an openness and natural ambiance preserved within a dense urban context, along with a tangible sense of authenticity.