MAD Architects, led by Ma Yansong and in collaboration with the Chinese Academy of Construction Research (CASR), won an international competition to design an International Cruise Center in Chongqing.

The Cuntan Center will be located on the site of a cargo terminal on the banks of the Yangtze River in Chongqing. There will be an international cruise terminal and an urban complex with a port and commercial spaces of 50,000 m2.

During a visit to the construction site, the MAD team was impressed by the large orange gantry cranes that towered over the cargo terminal. According to the architects, they looked like alien creatures and became the main source of inspiration. Their appearance will reflect the industrial past of this place and at the same time create a surreal image of the cruise terminal.

The architects will build six buildings on high inclined columns lined with aluminum. These structures, called Skywalk, will be connected by elevated bridges, in which shops and restaurants will operate. Buildings of different heights will recreate the rhythm of rising and falling cranes — they will also be similar in color and shape. And their elevated location will open impressive views of the Yangtze River to visitors.

Under the Skywalk there will be a landscape park with an area of 100,000 m2, and right under it there will be a cruise center partially submerged underground. It will be equipped with skylights and will provide access to both the park and commercial premises upstairs.

Construction will begin in November 2022 and will completely replace the existing cargo terminal. The project is expected to be completed by 2027.