Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone is a commercial development in Shenzhen, China. Located at the west of Shekou Peninsula and encircled by Shuangjie River, Moon Bay Avenue, Mawan Avenue and Qianhai Bay, Qianhai covers an area of approximately 15 square kilometres (5.8 sq mi).
With a total construction area of 26-30 million m², Qianhai is expected to create 650,000 jobs and house 150,000 residents by 2022.
The project regards the design of the Qianhai Exchange Plaza, that will include the Qianhai equity Exchange center, the Qianhai insurance exchange center, the Qianhai financial assets exchange, and many other institutions.
The Masterplan – IDENTITY
The six lots forming part of the project area are part of a dense urban mesh, very regular and uniform that is characterized by square or rectangular blocks.
The uniformity and large geometric regularity of the area, has led us to try to design a real focus point, an important urbanist element, with its own identity, able to become a cardinal point for the entire district of Qianhai .
The goal of the project was not only to achieve a certain number of buildings with a certain volume that can satisfy the client’s demands, but was also to create a pulsating center for the whole new district, able to become an icon and a reference point.
The central position of the project area in the Gui Bay gave us additional confirmation about the need for an element able to create an identity to the entire district.
The architectural element capable of assuming this important role is designed not only to become a simple landmark, but also to be a functional element for all the blocks that are part of the project area.
The need for areas dedicated the community has led us to design an elevated circle square able to connect all the lots of the project area becoming a functional element able to make quick and safe pedestrian crossings and connections between buildings and a meeting place common to all buildings.
The circular shape of this raised plaza thanks to the large central hole allows everyone to take a look on the large urban park with lakes and paved pathways.
All the major buildings of the project area are connected by this raised plaza. The first floors of these buildings are reserved for commercial activities. This therefore create a real “outdoor mall” which will let the square to be always busy and crowded, even on non-working days.
The goal of the project was not to create a series of buildings unrelated to each other, but a real organism that can operate synchronously, serving as best as possible the city of Shenzhen.
The target was to organize the project according to four distinct levels, placed at different elevations:
- A + 0.00 meters, a large park was created, a green lung available not only for the employees, but also for citizens and visitors. Also in this altitude is located the first level of the commercial function as well as the accesses to the offices and other functions on the upper floors.
- The second level is located at an altitude + 12.00m, and it is the real square for Qianhai, an architectural element that can give an identity to the site, which is the focus of the entire district, connecting the various functions.
- The third level is that of mid-rise office buildings, with a height of 70 meters. This type of building is housed externally to the blocks, and performs the task of designing an urban front ordered but still characterized by a vegetation that enlivens the facades.
- The last level is the one of the skyscrapers which are located in the central part of the project area and that as already pointed out are inserted on the raised plaza becoming a single organism cooperative.
Each of these buildings has its own language and its own identity, because in this way it was possible to give the district a more vibrant and dynamic mood.
Project Details:
Location: Shenzhen, China
Type: Urban design
Program: Qianhai Exchange Plaza
Client: Authority of Qianhai Shenzhen-Hongkong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone of Shenzhen
Competition Time: November 2014
Architects: Andrea Maffei Architects s.r.l. Milano
Project Leader: Andrea Maffei
Design team: Stefano Bergagna, Davide Cazzaniga, Giuliano Godoli, Yijie Wu
