Work is nearing completion on a vast international sports complex in Hangzhou, China, created by international architects NBBJ Design.

The Hangzhou Sports Park has been designed in collaboration with architects and engineering firm China Construction Design International (CCDI). It will host international sports fixtures and the 2022 Asian Games.

Covering a project area of 400,000sq ft (37,000sq m), the park will be the largest of its kind to open in China for at least a decade. Ground was broken in 2010, and the project has now entered its final construction phase.

The highlight of the development is an 80,000 capacity Olympic-sized riverside stadium, which features a vivid shell formed by 56 entwined steel petals.

“The geometry draws from the serene flora found on the banks of Hangzhou’s West Lake in order to create a powerful and unique image along the fast growing Qian Tang riverfront, where the stadium is located,” explained NBBJ in a statement. “The stadium’s intimate interior bowl is coordinated with the exterior shell to create a unique concourse.”

The studio – which is famous for its innovative design concepts – says that the rise in the price of steel forced it to adopt this parametric design to cut waste, while creating functionality and form.

“We collaborated closely with engineers and consultants to ensure quality control and optimise efficiency. We have achieved a 67 per cent steel cost saving over similar arenas, like the famed Bird’s Nest and the Beijing National Stadium.”

An elevated sports boulevard will connect Hangzhou with stadium, and will provide access to the park’s other facilities: an aquatics centre, a state-of-the-art athletics zone and a tennis centre with a 10,000-seat stadium – which features a rotating retractable roof.

On the ground level, pathways, gardens and plazas will form a network of public spaces intended to be used for sports and exercise. An underground zone will feature boutique shops, restaurants and a multiplex cinema.

Hangzhou is a rapidly developing city, with new construction tripling the city’s size in the last ten years.

The cost of the Hangzhou Sports Park project, which was funded by the Hangzhou city government, has not been revealed.