Zaha Hadid Architects' Studio City Phase 2 construction reaches full height in Macau, China

Celebrating the construction of Studio City Phase 2 reaching its full height, Lawrence Ho, Chairman and CEO of Melco Resorts & Entertainment hosted the topping out ceremony in Macau. Melco Resorts & Entertainment is a leading global developer, owner and operator of integrated resort facilities...

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From the architect: Located in the Cotai district of Macau adjacent to the Lotus Bridge crossing with mainland China, the Hollywood-inspired Studio City resort has welcomed guests and visitors to the city since 2015.

Appointed in 2017 to expand the resort, Zaha Hadid Architects designed Studio City Phase 2 with new leisure, entertainment and hospitality facilities including one of Asia’s largest indoor & outdoor water parks and a six-screen Cineplex together with extensive conference and exhibition spaces.

Comprising two hotel towers with 900 rooms and suites, 21,000 sq. m of shopping and dining, as well as 2,300 sq. m of gaming space, the 250,000 sq. m Studio City Phase 2 design is informed by the existing resort’s cinematic references with a contemporary reinterpretation of the rich detailing, bold geometries and craftsmanship of the Art Deco period.

Mr. Lawrence Ho, Chairman and CEO of Melco Resorts & Entertainment, said, “Melco has a strong track record of contributing to Macau’s ongoing development as a world center of leisure tourism. Studio City Phase 2 reaffirms our ongoing commitment to the city and contributes to reinforcing Macau’s non-gaming proposition in Asia and internationally. We are grateful for the support of the Central and Macau governments during the project construction.”

Mr. David Sisk, Chief Operating Officer of Macau Resorts, Melco, said, “Since opening in 2015, Studio City has become a destination landmark in Macau with its unique entertainment theme and experience. The extension project will complement our existing offering of ‘next-generation’ world-class entertainment and further enhance the distinctive Studio City experience.”

Viviana Muscettola, Director at Zaha Hadid Architects, said, “Zaha Hadid Architects and Melco share the same vision and determination to push boundaries. Studio City Phase 2 continues our ten year collaboration with Melco that includes the Morpheus Hotel at the City of Dreams in Macau. Extending the thriving Studio City resort, the highly adaptable spaces of Phase 2 have been developed by a truly global team of professionals.”

Composed of three different gradations of glass with external fins that delineate the verticality of the towers, the insulated glazing units and shading fins will reduce solar heat gain and glare while maintaining thermal comfort for hotel guests. The high-performance building envelope together with highly efficient services and systems will reduce energy demand. All timber and timber-based products specified within the design have been harvested, traded and sourced in accordance with Forestry Stewardship Council certification.

Environmental site assessments determined the composition of Studio City Phase 2’s development away from the 15-hectare protected wetland of the adjacent Macau Cotai Ecological Zone. The orientation and configuration of the elliptical towers have been calculated to facilitate natural ventilation within and around the resort. The project’s ecologist developed preservation measures for the site’s existing flora together with compensatory planting of species compatible with the landscape and habitat.

Scheduled to complete in December 2022, the Studio City Phase 2 development was named winner of the ‘Regional Award Asia’ at the BREEAM Awards 2021.

Architect: Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA)
Location: Macau, China
Size: 250,000 sqm
Design: Patrik Schumacher
ZHA Project Director: Viviana Muscettola
ZHA Project Associates: Hee Seung Lee, Luca Nicoletti, Subharthi Guha, Bianca Cheung
ZHA Project Architects: Alvin Triestanto, Andrea Balducci Caste, Marina Martinez, Thomas Sonder
ZHA Project Team: Alessandra Catello, Ashwanth Govindaraji, Amittai Antoine, Angelica Videla, Christina Bali, Daniel Coley, Juwhan Han, Michael Cheung, Marie-Perrine Placais, Michael Rogers, Mattia Santi, Nhan Vo, Natasha Gill, Neil Rigden, Sara Criscenti, Valentina Cerrone, Vincent Yeung, Yoo Yeon Noh
ZHA Concept Team: Viviana Muscettola, Hee Seung Lee, Luca Nicoletti, Alvin Triestanto, Alessandra Catello, Daniel Coley, Marina Martinez, Mattia Santi, Vincent Yeung, Yoo Yeon Noh

Consultants
Executive Architect: Leigh & Orange [Hong Kong]
Local Architect: EWA Project Consultants [Macau]
Civil, Structural & Geotechnical Engineering: AECOM [Hong Kong]
M&E Engineering: Meinhardt (M&E) [Hong Kong]
Façade Engineer: Inhabit Living Engineering [Hong Kong]
Water Park Consultant: Water Technology [UK/US/Hong Kong], White Water West [Canada]
Other Interior Designers: Rockwell Group, CDC Designs, Westar Architects, OMA 
Quantity Surveyor: WT Partnership [Hong Kong]
Lighting Design: Inhabit Lighting [Hong Kong]
Landscape Designer: Morphis [Hong Kong]
Fire Engineering: Meinhardt (M&E) [Hong Kong]
Acoustic Consultant: SM&W [Hong Kong]
Traffic Engineer: Systra MVA [Hong Kong]
Environmental Consultant: XCO2 [UK]
Signage Consultant: DEAI Design [Hong Kong]