RSHP completes vast Zhengzhou convention centre with mile-long walkway

British architecture studio RSHP has completed the Central China International Convention and Exhibition Centre in Zhengzhou, China, featuring 16 exhibition halls linked by a 1.7-kilometre elevated walkway. The project, located in the Zhengzhou Airport Economic Zone, marks the end of the second construction phase and joins a conference centre and hotel to form a landmark visible from land and air. The 697,566-square-metre site is equivalent to about 558 Olympic swimming pools. Built with a modular steel structural system for efficiency, the centre includes thirteen standard halls (each 12,638.5 square metres) and three multifunctional halls that can be combined or divided. The walkway is sheltered by sweeping canopy roofs inspired by the Yellow River and Song Mountain, with natural light admitted. Three entrance pavilions provide access via the upper level, with travelators and escalators connecting to halls. Restaurants and public spaces sit beneath the walkway. The conference centre features large cable-net facades and a curved floating roof, while the adjacent hotel has a zigzag roofscape with 275 guest rooms, a ballroom, and private dining. Sustainable systems include photovoltaic panels and rainwater harvesting. RSHP director Richard Paul described the project as ambitious, vast, and delivered within a limited timeframe, emphasizing modularity and cutting-edge technology. Photography is by Tian Fangfang.