Chongqing Raffles City: A Futuristic Urban Beacon at the Confluence of Two Rivers
Overview
Chongqing Raffles City is situated at Chaotianmen, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, at the confluence of the Yangtze and Jialing Rivers. It is a large-scale urban complex developed by Singapore's CapitaLand Group with an investment of over 24 billion RMB. The project has a total construction area of approximately 1.12 million square meters, comprising 8 towers, a sky bridge, and a podium mall. The tallest tower reaches about 350 meters. Inspired by a sailing ship, the design symbolizes 'setting sail toward the sky,' making it one of Chongqing's most recognizable modern landmarks. Construction began in 2012, and the project opened in phases starting in 2019, featuring high-end residences, Grade-A office buildings, a shopping mall, five-star hotels (InterContinental, Ascott), and an observation deck.
History
Chaotianmen has been Chongqing's water gateway since ancient times. In 316 BC, after the Qin state conquered the Ba state, Ba Commandery was established, and Chaotianmen served as an important dock. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Chaotianmen was one of the nine gates of Chongqing's city wall, named for receiving imperial edicts. After Chongqing opened as a treaty port in 1891, Chaotianmen became a commercial hub. In 1997, when Chongqing became a municipality directly under the central government, Chaotianmen Square was built. In 2012, CapitaLand won the bid for the Chaotianmen land parcel for 6.5 billion RMB and launched the Raffles City project. In September 2019, the shopping mall and the observation deck 'Exploration Cabin · Cloud Paradise' opened, and the InterContinental Hotel opened in 2020. The project has sparked controversy due to its massive scale and avant-garde design, but it has also become a landmark case of urban renewal in Chongqing.
