a Sweeping New Sports centre is rising in guangzhou
In Guangzhou’s Nansha District, Zaha Hadid Architects is playing the long game in city-making. With its monumental Greater Bay Area Sports Centre, the team is practically writing the rulebook for the future of athletic infrastructure in China’s fastest-growing region.
The sweeping complex is nearing completion to become a hub within what is projected to become the world’s largest urban agglomeration by 2030. Sited at the southern edge of the city on the western bank of the Pearl River, the sports center is a civic catalyst, setting the tone for a new business, residential, and cultural district in the ever-expanding Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau conurbation.
While the main structures topped out in early 2024 and facade work wrapped in February 2025, the project is on track for a June handover — just in time for the China National Games in November.
construction photography © Liang Xue
Performance meets Climate Responsiveness
Zaha Hadid Architects designs its Greater Bay Area Sports Centre for more than just elite-level spectacle. While the project’s facilities meet Olympic-grade standards, the architects also prioritize accessibility for local schools, sports clubs, and the general public. With direct connections to Line 18 of the Guangzhou Metro and the new Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge, the center will function as a regional gathering place — one that fluidly serves casual athletes, aspiring professionals, and international audiences alike.
The project deftly integrates form, function, and climate strategy. Its open-air training grounds are tailored to Nansha’s mild winters, supporting year-round use for athletes at every level. The 70-hectare park surrounding the complex doubles as flood infrastructure, with newly introduced wetlands managing seasonal surges from the Pearl River while offering lush recreational space for the city’s residents.
construction photography © Liang Xue
zaha hadid architects’ Trio of World-Class Venues
Zaha Hadid Architects’ Greater Bay Area Sports Centre comprises a 60,000-seat stadium, a 20,000-seat multipurpose indoor arena, and a 4,000-seat aquatics center — each purpose-built for flexibility. Together, they can accommodate everything from track meets and basketball championships to diving competitions and concerts. Athletic housing and expansive outdoor facilities further support long-term sports development programs aimed at nurturing the region’s next generation of champions.
Taking cues from its cultural and climatic context, the building forms echo the tapered hulls of traditional sailing vessels that once ruled the Pearl River’s global trade routes. At the same time, the design references Lingnan architectural principles — especially shaded, breezy corridors that combat the subtropical heat with passive cooling strategies. It’s high-tech but deeply rooted in place.
construction photography © Liang Xue
A layered stadium roof is inspired by pleated silk fans, a nod to traditional Chinese craftsmanship. These overlapping elements protect spectators from rain and sun while allowing heat to vent naturally. The team describes this visual effect as an architectural gesture that is both poetic and performance-driven. A rhythmic system of vertical louvres contour each building’s fluid profile. These louvres, designed with the aid of advanced 3D modeling, serve to both enhance the center’s visual identity, mitigate solar heat gain, and channel prevailing winds into the structures — ensuring that the design performs as elegantly as it looks.
construction photography © Liang Xue
visualization © Atchain