Westlake 66 stands between West Lake and the Grand Canal, in a part of Hangzhou where natural landscape and commercial activity have shared the same ground for centuries. Next to Wulin Square, in the heart of one of the city’s most established commercial centres, the mixed-use retail and lifestyle development draws directly on this context. Developed by Hang Lung Properties, the project is set to open in phases from 2026.
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Our brief was to create a destination with genuine cultural substance. Rather than relying on a stylistic interpretation of heritage, we aimed for a design that speaks directly to how this city came to be.
Baijingfang and the placemaking narrative
The central concept draws on the site’s historical identity as Baijingfang, literally ‘the place of a hundred wells’. Hangzhou’s pre-modern urban fabric was threaded with these water sources, which served as communal focal points where residents gathered to draw water, exchange news and build neighbourhood life.
Rather than a literal translation, the well informs our placemaking narrative. A network of social spaces distributed across the complex gives the architecture a fluid rhythm. Moving between them, visitors are carried through the space as if by a current: drawn forward by light, slowed by texture, or brought to a pause as the architecture opens into a courtyard or rises into a soaring ceiling. The experience feels intuitive, turning standard retail circulation into a continuous stream of discovery.
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The same spatial logic flows from inside to outside. The complex is conceived as a connected whole, with outdoor spaces – sunken courtyards, landscaped terraces, an extensive podium garden, and re-paved, tree-shaded streetscapes – forming as much a part of the network as the retail floors themselves.
Light, material and atmosphere
Within the retail levels, the strongest visual impression comes from looking upward. Dramatic sculptural ceilings, defined by stepped, terraced layers, are punctuated by skylights that draw daylight deep into the interior. The effect evokes light filtering into a deep pool. These cascading forms create the project’s signature image, guiding visitors along the main walking routes. An LED lighting system with sensor control extends the daylight ambience into the evening, with timed mood settings that reduce glare, enhance comfort and support energy efficiency.
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Complementing the natural light and greenery, the material palette is warm and tactile. Sculpted, fluted marble and sinuous pressed metal carry a distinct rippling quality. Intricate, wave-like lattice chains add depth to key surfaces. Muted accent colours draw on Song and Tang dynasty ceramics and the seasonal tones of Hangzhou’s lakeside landscape. This design language carries through from the grandeur of the ceiling structures to handrail details and lift interiors.
Rooted in the city’s past, shaped for contemporary life
Moving through Westlake 66 becomes a physical encounter with the city’s past. At street level, two retained heritage buildings anchor the public realm, accompanied by gardens that connect the project to the wider history of the area. Inside, Song and Tang dynasty relics unearthed on site are integrated into an immersive exhibition space. Their presence quietly roots the project in its setting.
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The project is designed with a younger, lifestyle-oriented audience in mind, appealing to people who value authenticity and spaces that reward exploration. Westlake 66 is a contemporary stage for the city’s social life, animated by a programme of cultural events and community activities that will sustain its energy over time.
With a second phase planned on a neighbouring site, the development will continue to grow alongside Hangzhou. Further pedestrian connections and landscaping will deepen its integration with the wider district. The ambition remains consistent: to create a place where commercial energy and cultural identity reinforce one another in a city that has always found its character in the spaces where people come together.
