MAD, led by Ma Yansong, recently announced the overall planning and architectural design of the "Shenzhen Bay Culture Plaza". The project covers an area of ​​approximately 51,000 square meters and has a total construction area of ​​182,000 square meters. It includes a creative design hall and the Shenzhen Science and Technology Life Hall. It is expected to be completed in 2023.

Ma Yansong: "Building a cultural landmark in a site between a modern metropolis and nature should first be a free citizen space, a place like the Land Art Park, and secondly, it should function as an exhibition hall."

MAD, led by Ma Yansong, recently announced the overall planning and architectural design of the "Shenzhen Bay Cultural Plaza". The project covers an area of ​​about 51,000 square meters and a total construction area of ​​182,000 square meters, including the Creative Design Pavilion and the Shenzhen Science and Technology Life Pavilion. It is expected to be completed in 2023.

In the past decade, the economy of Nanshan District in Shenzhen has developed rapidly. In 2019, the total GDP of the district exceeded 600 billion. The headquarters of world-class companies such as Huawei, Alibaba Cloud, and Tencent are all located here, which can be called the "Silicon Valley of China". "Shenzhen Bay Cultural Plaza" is located in the center of the Houhai Seaside in Nanshan District. The view runs through the city and bayside view of Nanshan District and Futian District from west to east for nearly 10 kilometers. It is one of the "new ten cultural facilities" for Shenzhen's urban development and represents the city's ambition to "become a creative capital with global influence."

The earth-covered building becomes an urban green space connected to the Talent Park

Creativity, influence, and competitiveness are almost all the "super cities" that need to rise. How can Shenzhen take a different development path?

Unique creativity comes from foresight and imagination beyond reality. Both need to doubt and criticize the current norm and solidified consensus - just like the surging curiosity of humans who saw the sea for the first time in ancient times, and the brave actions taken by later generations.

Between the new and vibrant modern city and the quiet and ancient ocean, MAD attempts to juxtapose the two untouchable time scales of "ancient times" and "future" through design, creating a surreal scene and allowing people to return to imagination.

Ma Yansong: "I want to create a surreal atmosphere so that citizens who relax and exercise here have the possibility of dialogue with ancient times and the future. Time and space are juxtaposed and stretched apart, and there is some weightlessness, which opens up imagination."

The rooftop green space provides a wide environment for citizens to relax in the city center

MAD's plan places a large-scale standard exhibition space, public education venue, library, reception lobby, cafe, supporting commercial facilities and other functions on the first floor and covers them with soil. The rooftop forms a green space that is directly connected to the city, forming the largest park in this area. Following the curve of the building, the roof slope develops naturally and gently falls back to the ground. The borders are designed into several sunken courtyards, which are high and low and continuous.

Ma Yansong: "Architecture should be integrated into nature and become a landscape that can be experienced."

A complex of buildings made of pure stone

The rooftop green space and sunken courtyard that constitute the "three-dimensional citizen park" not only serve as a 24-hour public open space, but also serve as performance venues, markets, outdoor exhibitions and other functions.

interactive pool reflects the surrounding city

The rooftop viewing platform offers a bird's eye view of the seaside and Talent Park

The open green space can accommodate 10,000 people for cultural and artistic activities

The pool in the center of the square can be used as a theater to accommodate 10,000 people; multiple platforms are reserved in the landscape to provide outdoor venues for public art exhibitions, markets, art festivals, music festivals, etc.; the park extends the city's main road to the seaside, and pedestrian and bicycle paths meander between buildings and lawns, providing citizens with a seaside leisure venue.

The rooftop green space has bicycle lanes and walking paths for citizens to relax.

Sunken Courtyard

The north and south pavilions are located on both sides of the axis, like raw stones placed on the seashore, quietly facing nature and the long time of carving. There are two special exhibition halls inside, providing the possibility of presenting more imaginative exhibitions.

The audience follows the exhibition line to the top floor of the South Pavilion, that is, to reach the viewing platform, where they can overlook the entire bay and the city skyline. The highest point of the special exhibition hall is 30 meters high, and exhibitions such as large-scale installations, images, multimedia, and performances can be fully displayed.

The special exhibition hall with a height of 30 meters provides a surreal exhibition experience

Sky Pavilion

The main public space on the first floor has ample floor-to-ceiling windows and skylights, which bring in natural light and blur the distinction between inside and outside, and between top and bottom. The main public space can be arranged with several standardized exhibition halls for displaying sculptures or collections. The diverse exhibition space can meet various operational needs of the future pavilion. In addition, each exhibition space has an independent entrance and exit, with a reserved rear service channel connected to the freight lane hidden under the green basement, which facilitates the arrangement and replacement of exhibitions.

Rooftop viewing platform

"Shenzhen Bay Cultural Plaza" attempts to create a familiar yet unfamiliar "time and space dislocation" between the city and the bay, just like land art, allowing everyone to participate in it and stay away from the reality of the city. Bring imagination into the city, so that people who enter this environment and atmosphere can establish a perception of time and space.

总平面

Functional diagram: special exhibition hall, earth-covered square, first floor exhibition hall