Xinchang Globular Center: Redefining Sports Architecture as Everyday Urban Life
The Xinchang Globular Center, completed in 2025 and designed by Line+ Studio, represents a significant evolution in contemporary sports architecture. Located in Xinchang, Zhejiang Province, China, the project challenges the traditional notion of sports complexes as isolated, event-only facilities. Instead, it introduces a mixed-use “Sports Mall” model, designed to remain active, accessible, and economically viable throughout the year.
With a total floor area exceeding 1.3 million square feet, the Globular Center operates as both a professional competition venue and a daily urban destination—integrating sports, commerce, hospitality, and public life into a single architectural system.
Urban Context and Planning Strategy
The project occupies a strategic site at the northern edge of Xinchang, near major transportation corridors and emerging urban districts. Rather than functioning as a closed landmark, the building is conceived as an urban connector, extending pedestrian movement and public activity into a previously underutilized area.
By embedding retail, leisure, and hospitality functions within the sports complex, the design ensures continuous use beyond tournament schedules. This approach reflects a broader shift in urban planning—where large civic buildings are expected to contribute to daily city life, not merely host occasional events.
The Sports Mall Concept: Architecture Beyond Events
At the core of the Xinchang Globular Center is the Sports Mall concept, a hybrid typology that merges athletic facilities with commercial and social programs. The complex includes:
- A main competition gymnasium
- Multiple training and secondary sports halls
- Retail and dining spaces
- An athlete-focused hotel
- Public circulation areas and leisure zones
This functional diversity ensures a stable flow of users—athletes, spectators, residents, and visitors—throughout the week. The architecture supports flexibility, allowing spaces to adapt to different sports, events, and scales of occupancy.
Rather than prioritizing monumental form, the design emphasizes usability, adaptability, and long-term relevance, aligning with sustainable development principles.
Central Atrium as an Internal Urban Street
One of the defining spatial features of the project is its central atrium, designed to function as an internal street rather than a conventional lobby. This multi-level space connects the gymnasiums, training halls, retail areas, and hotel, creating a continuous public route through the building.
Natural light, visual transparency, and clear wayfinding reinforce the sense of openness. The atrium encourages informal interaction, movement, and lingering—qualities typically associated with outdoor urban spaces rather than enclosed sports facilities.
Walkable Rooof and Civic Accessibility
The walkable rooftop further dissolves the boundary between building and city. Instead of treating the roof as a technical surface, the design reclaims it as public space—offering views, circulation paths, and areas for leisure.
This gesture reflects a growing emphasis on vertical urbanism, where large buildings contribute usable public surfaces in dense cities. The rooftop enhances environmental performance while reinforcing the Globular Center’s civic role.
Architectural Expression and Material Language
The building’s exterior is defined by a perforated aluminum facade, which wraps the complex in a continuous, fluid surface. The pattern references the natural landscape of the region—mountains, water movement, and topography—without resorting to literal symbolism.
This material strategy balances performance and expression. The facade filters light, improves thermal comfort, and gives the building a dynamic appearance that changes throughout the day. At night, controlled illumination transforms the structure into a subtle urban landmark rather than an overpowering icon.
Cultural Relevance and Long-Term Impact
The Xinchang Globular Center reflects a contemporary understanding of cultural identity in architecture—expressed through spatial behavior, collective use, and urban integration rather than decorative motifs. By prioritizing shared experiences, adaptability, and public accessibility, the project aligns with evolving social and cultural patterns in rapidly developing cities.
Economically, the mixed-use model supports sustained activity and revenue generation. Socially, it provides inclusive spaces for both elite sports and everyday recreation. Architecturally, it sets a precedent for how large-scale civic buildings can remain relevant over time.
Conclusion
The Xinchang Globular Center stands as a compelling example of how sports architecture can transcend its traditional limitations. Through thoughtful urban integration, flexible programming, and a clear civic vision, Line+ Studio has delivered a project that serves both the present and the future.
More than a venue, the Globular Center is a living piece of the city—active, inclusive, and adaptable—demonstrating how architecture can support culture, community, and continuity in an ever-changing urban landscape.
