Built on a 10-kilometre long, 30 sqkm expanse of reclaimed land, the East Port of Tianjin is set to redefine the maritime city – which ranks as China’s largest free port and the sixth-biggest port in the world – with a master plan that embraces commercial, residential, leisure and green zones. The first completed project in this showcase of state-of-the-art planning and architecture will be Woods Bagot’s design for a five-star hotel, retail and marina complex on a waterfront site in the commercial centre of the development.

To be completed in 2011, the project was commissioned by Rainbow Land Holdings, and consists of a 600-room five star hotel, a destination retail/entertainment complex and a marina and clubhouse strung along a one-kilometre stretch of waterfront.

The 56,000 sqm hotel boasts two connected ‘wings’ whose deflection endows each guestroom with a sea-view. Among its other notable features are energy-efficient green roofs and a gracefully contoured glazed foyer housing a pod-like suspended restaurant. Geothermal water will be utilised as an eco-friendly way to meet part of the hotel’s energy needs.