Located in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, the Shaoxing Huafa Cultural Center by AECOM draws directly from the city’s literary heritage and historic relationship with water. The five-storey, 6,700-square-metre cultural building forms part of a transit-oriented development north of the planned Museum Station of Metro Line 3.
AECOM conceived the building as a contemporary interpretation of stacked books and scholarly volumes. The layered massing creates a sequence of terraces and cantilevers, while horizontal façade louvers evoke pages and sheets of paper folding over the building’s edges. These elements also form stepped connections between the terraces, giving the façade a strong horizontal rhythm.
Inside, the different functions are organized around a central stairwell, creating visual connections between floors and making the relatively compact building feel more open. One of the principal interior features is a fourth-floor swimming pool, where carefully designed skylights bring natural light deep into the space.
The skylights respond to seasonal solar conditions. Their east-facing angled openings allow winter sunlight to enter directly and contribute to heating, while in summer, sunlight reflects from the metal surfaces to provide more indirect illumination. 
Water also plays a defining role at ground level. Inspired by Shaoxing’s canals, waterways and historic bridges, AECOM’s landscape design integrates the building with a mirror of water and abundant vegetation, creating the impression that the upper volumes float above the landscape.
The project combines architecture, landscape and interior design into a cultural destination that references Shaoxing’s literary traditions while introducing a contemporary civic landmark. It received a Five-Star Award for Best Leisure Architecture China at the Asia Pacific Property Awards 2022–2023 and a Gold Award at the 2022 MUSE Design Awards for Architectural Design.
Source: AECOM with additional information added by Glass Balkan
