mecanoo wins competition to design futian civic culture center in shenzhen

following a competition to design a new cultural development in shenzhen, china, mecanoo has been awarded 1st prize with its proposal to create ‘a building that breathes’. situated in the futian district, the proposed civic culture center intends to reinvigorate one of the city’s oldest and densest areas by providing a huge variety of functions over a total area of 1,001,044 ft2 (93,000 m2). focusing on semi-open spaces and forming a place filled with greenery and natural daylight, the winning scheme boasts ‘sky gardens’ and a lush ‘garden lobby’.

all images courtesy of mecanoo

to cater for futian’s high population density, the extensive program comprises three theaters, a cultural center, library, exhibition hall, elderly and youth activity center, sports complex, commercial facilities and a kindergarten. in order to house the vast number of spaces on the 114,205 ft2 (10,610 m2) plot, mecanoo‘s design results in a 150m tower positioned on an L-shaped base. wrapping around the structure, a triangulated grid façade covers the entire building and provides a uniform identity for the new architectural intervention. 

to invite people into the building and create pedestrian throughways, the site is designed with a south-facing public square and a wide semi-internal east-west pedestrian passage. a permeable ground floor is also incorporated in an effort to make the ground level as open as possible, stimulating urban activity. upon entering, visitors will be met by a large, light-filled volume that will contain shops and provide a lively place to meet and gather. this public space also connects directly to the theater lobby, which acts as the main urban catalyst of the cultural center as a whole.

the futian civic culture center is designed to be interspersed with elements of greenery to connect users to nature and to provide shade and cooling in the subtropical climate. the building includes sky gardens, an exhibition garden lobby, a library garden and a series of green atria and terraces. the interior is also characterized by the connections through the 150m tower. elevators and long escalators act as a series of arteries, bringing life up and into the building and creating a unique experience when ascending the tower.

project info:

project name: ‘futian civic culture center’

location: shenzhen, china

architect: mecanoo

client: public culture and sports development centre, futian district, shenzhen, china

program: 1st prize competition design for a cultural development including theatre, cultural centre, library, exhibition hall, elderly and youth activity centre, sports complex, commercial facilities, kindergarten.

total area: 1,001,044 ft2 (93,000 m2)