International architecture firm GroupGSA have been selected to design a sports-friendly city centre in Chongli, China in preparation for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.
Partially inspired by the hexagonal structures of snowflakes, the revitalised urban space will feature a communal plaza, ice and snow museum, park, exhibition centre, and a number of residences.
Other amenities will include a ski-in track as well as a cable car station.
Architects working on the development include Alina Valcarce – the design lead – James Wang, Jason Lu, and Fied Fu.
According to GroupGSA, the space is intended to lay the groundwork for Chongli's future development and provide ample facilities for the skiing and snowboarding events that will be hosted in the district in February and March 2022.
In a statement, the firm commented: "GroupGSA’s City Centre Project reflects the pride and collective memory of Chongli as a Winter Olympics host in perpetuity."
They added: "The built design is conceived as an extension of the landscape, integrating the identity of the district into the multitude of buildings that comprise the project."
In 2016 and 2017, Chongli welcomed 4 million tourists, most of which – according to
China Daily – came for its popular ski resorts.
The Olympic centre is expected both to stimulate further economic growth in the region and to inspire renewed interest in China's winter sports industry.
The country's National Tourism Administration estimates that the sector could be worth 1tn yuan ($152bn, €132.8bn, £119.2bn) by 2022.
