The popular TV series Detective Academy chose our award winning Top San Hsiang, the Sanxiang Bank Headquarters development in Changsha, as the filming location for the entirety of Season 9. This marks another major national television appearance for the project, following its feature in CCTV’s 2024 Chinese New Year Gala.

“Top San Hsiang was not used simply as a backdrop. The program was developed around the project’s architecture and spatial organization, with scenes, movement, and narrative progression shaped by its design,” said Project Director Leo Xinyu Li. “Its undulating volumes, meandering circulation, spatial complexity, and dramatic contrasts of light and shadow became an active framework for the storytelling, allowing the architecture itself to shape the unfolding detective experience.”

Located along the Xiang River waterfront, Top San Hsiang is a 106,000 square meter mixed use development comprising a financial headquarters, residential towers, and a continuous podium that unifies the site. Its interconnected podium, vertical circulation network, and diverse interior environments, ranging from open public zones to more private office settings, create a rich sequence of spaces that support shifting scenes, hidden clues, and evolving perspectives throughout the season.

Conceived as a new landmark for Changsha, the project is defined by its flowing curvilinear form, inspired by wind-filled sails. The architecture maximizes river views while establishing a dynamic presence on the skyline. By integrating commercial, residential, and public functions into a cohesive waterfront composition, Top San Hsiang creates a vibrant urban interface where architecture, landscape, and civic life converge.

Watch the reality show: Detective Academy Season 9
Related project feature: Top San Hsiang Featured in CCTV 1 Spring Festival Gala