A “New Asia Center” in Shanghai, which will be the size of two major Atlanta projects combined, One Atlantic Center and One Peachtree Center, is to be designed by John Portman & Associates. Construction on the $145 million “New Asia” is scheduled to begin in the spring of 1995.
The complex is to be situated in the heart of Shanghai’s premier shopping and dining district and will include a major retail mall, offices and apartments containing 2.69 million square feet.
Portman’s first project in China — the Shanghai Centre — opened in 1990. The company currently has three other office towers and light industrial facilities in design for Shanghai as well as residential and hotel projects in other parts of China.
In addition, the company’s Hong Kong architectural office — Portman & Partners International — has been commissioned to design a major 347,244 square-foot business center in Hanoi, comprised of a four-star hotel, offices, meeting space and parking. The project is the company’s first project in Vietnam.
To be called the Ever Fortune Plaza, the enterprise will be part of the Hanoi Trade Center, a joint venture between Vietnamese interests and the Ever Fortune Enterprise Group of Taipei. The high-rise project has received local governmental approval and construction is scheduled to begin late this year.
The company has built a number of projects throughout the Pacific Rim including its projects in China as well as Capital Square in Kuala Lumpur and four hotels and a retail mall in Singapore.