Luanzhou Motorsport Complex

Together with Apex Circuit Design, we have designed a new motorsport complex in Luanzhou, China. The project will restore a decommissioned quarry adjacent to the Luan River, to create a sport and leisure destination offering top tier international standard facilities.

The theme of the new development is ‘Designed for the Future’. Designs have been modelled to the highest FIA three-star sustainability criteria and include buildings with predicted net zero operational performance.

The complex is capable of hosting all forms of circuit motorsport and includes a 5.0km FIA Grade 2 / FIM Grade A race circuit. Hybrid and electric motorsports are catered for, and the site also boasts three other motorsport offerings in the form of a CIK international standard 1.4km kart track, NHRA and FIA international standard drag strip and 20,000 sqm drift and driver training pad.

The concept for the pit building is influenced by the site’s mountainous terrain and the speed and agility of racing. The silhouette roof with integrated photovoltaics is representative of Apex’s mission to create a complex that is ‘Designed for the Future’. A visually ‘heavyweight’ two storey stone base contains 33 garages, hospitality areas, race control and media centre. Above, a more visually ‘lightweight’ metal frame houses the paddock members’ club, grandstand, and main spectator concourse.

The main spectator entrance, ticket office and a range of food and beverage outlets are located in the kart building alongside the vehicle handover and briefing zones, race control zones, and changing facilities. Metallic finishes and chamfered windows create an exciting point of arrival and enhance visual connectivity between activities inside and on track.

The landscape design references the industrial patterns of quarrying on the site, with the use of berms and banks to control sightlines and manage the flow of people through the development. Significant biodiversity gains on the 100ha site will be achieved through the creation of a variety of habitat zones from the river’s edge to the hilltops. This will benefit visitors as well as residential and commercial residents within the broader masterplan.