Huawei announced a 3D Data Center architecture at the 2026 AIDC Industry Development Conference in Wuhu, Anhui, on September 15. Chinese media reported the release on September 16, with Guangming Daily noting the key elements highlighted by the company.
Huawei characterizes the design as the world’s first 3D Data Center architecture. That designation, and the associated scope described at the event, reflects how Huawei positions the framework. The presentation in Wuhu outlined a vertically organized facility concept, defined design targets for large-scale compute deployments, and introduced a set of reference materials intended for industry use.
AIDC Wuhu Launch Details and Stated Scope
The unveiling on September 15 provided a defined time and venue for the new framework. Media coverage on September 16 summarized the rollout and the points Huawei emphasized in its presentation materials. The release paired a structural layout description with capacity and scale targets that the company associates with the design.
Huawei states that the architecture is designed to support Ascend supernode clusters with more than 100,000 cards. Huawei also links the framework to serving the needs of 10-trillion-parameter AI models. These figures are Huawei’s design targets and projections, presented as the intended scale envelope that the framework aims to accommodate.
The company’s materials further state that the design supports 168MW per building. This building-level figure identifies the power scope Huawei associates with a single vertically organized structure in the 3D concept. The announcement attached the capacity statement to the broader layout, connecting the structural arrangement to the power domain within which the concept is positioned.
In addition to the architecture description and targets, Huawei published a monograph titled 3D Data Center and opened a 3D Data Center Overview Design Library to industry participants. These resources were associated with the launch and presented as reference materials for those assessing the framework.
Four-Layer Vertical Layout and Separation
Huawei’s 3D Data Center description centers on a four-layer vertical arrangement that separates key systems by function. The stated structure is:
• Cooling at the bottom
• IT equipment above cooling
• Power supply on the third level
• Backup power or batteries at the top
The layout organizes thermal management, compute, primary power, and backup power into discrete vertical layers. The design places thermal systems at the base and IT equipment on the level above. Above that, the compute layer houses the IT equipment, with the power supply situated on the level above the compute floor. The top layer is defined for backup power or batteries.
Huawei associates this layered separation with addressing cross-generational chip compatibility. In describing that objective, the company links the arrangement to an approach intended to maintain adaptability as chip iterations advance. The structure places each major system domain on a distinct level while maintaining a vertically integrated building plan.
The four-layer map serves as the organizing principle for the framework. The bottom-up sequence from cooling to IT equipment, then to power supply and backup power, provides a single stack in which each floor is dedicated to a specific function. The delineation sets out clear boundaries among subsystems while preserving proximity within a single building envelope. The description aligns the physical placement of each category with the role it plays in the overall operation as presented by Huawei.
Design Targets, Materials, and Reporting Window
Huawei links the architecture to two prominent design targets: support for Ascend supernode clusters exceeding 100,000 cards and alignment with training needs associated with 10-trillion-parameter AI models. These are Huawei’s stated targets and projections for the framework’s intended scale. They accompany the 168MW-per-building statement and the four-layer layout as core elements of the release.
The publication of the 3D Data Center monograph and the opening of the 3D Data Center Overview Design Library were part of the same announcement sequence. Huawei identified these materials as resources for industry participants. The monograph and the design library were positioned to provide an overview of the architecture and to offer reference material connected to the layout and targets described at the event.
The September 15 Wuhu launch was followed by September 16 coverage. The company’s published materials set out the architecture, layout, power figure, design targets, monograph, and overview design library as parts of the announced framework.
For additional context on large-scale compute buildouts connected to AI development in China, see EastFrontier coverage: EastFrontier and EastFrontier. These links offer further reading that sits alongside the Huawei-specific description summarized here.
The release defines the following elements as presented by Huawei: a vertically organized four-layer structure that places cooling at the bottom, IT equipment above cooling, the power supply on the third level, and backup power or batteries at the top; a building-level power support statement of 168MW; design targets for Ascend supernode clusters exceeding 100,000 cards; and an alignment with 10-trillion-parameter AI model needs as Huawei frames them. The announcement paired these points with the publication of a monograph and the opening of an overview design library to industry participants.
Huawei characterizes the framework as the world’s first 3D Data Center architecture, a description that remains the company’s own. The structural layout, capacity statement, stated compatibility aim through layered separation, and published resources together define the scope of what was presented and the materials made available to the industry.