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A megatall tower is poised to grace the Shenzhen skyline, as Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture announce their competition win for the Shimao Shenzhen Longgang Master Plan. Located between Longcheng Park and Dayun National Park, the project's ambitious mixed-use centrepiece will stand nearly 700 metres high.
Shenzhen-Hong Kong International Center is proposed adjacent to multiple sporting venues and takes architectural inspiration from the athletes that train and perform in these facilities. "The Shenzhen-Hong Kong International Center is anthropomorphic in its character, representing and honouring in an abstract way the athletes that train and struggle to have the opportunity to perform in the world-class stadiums, arenas, and natatorium directly adjacent to and integrated into the overall AS+GG master plan for this project," said AS+GG Design Partner Adrian Smith, FAIA. "In this way, it adds a subtle layer of contextualism to the activities that these performance spaces contain. The result is a muscular expression in high-performance glass with layers of texture that define the elements of its shaped form."
The pinnacle of the tower will host a performance space and one of the world's highest observation decks, plus a restaurant, night club, spa services and a grand swimming pool. The building will also employ a unique night illumination scheme that references the district's athletic and entertainment uses.
The masterplanned district surrounding the megatall tower features a five-star hotel, additional office space and conference facilities. The northeast corner of the site is dedicated to retail, while the abutting northwest section contains a cluster of apartment buildings. Programmed cultural venues, which include spaces for reading, recreation, leisure, tourism, art and dining, are interconnected with landscaped promenades.
Shimao Group is targeting LEED Platinum certification for the complex, achieving that goal through building orientation, strategic natural lighting, and high-performance glass to reduce heat gain. "Everything in the design is customized to this specific site," said AS+GG Partner Robert Forest, FAIA. "The tower and surrounding district are being designed to achieve a LEED Platinum rating with the building's lifecycle carbon emissions reduced by 50 percent against current practices baseline. We are improving efficiency in every aspect of the project, thereby increasing value for the entire development."
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