SOM plans zhuhai's 'jiuzhou bay' neighborhood with modular canopies + supertall skyscraper

SOM has unveiled plans for a new waterfront neighborhood to be built in zhuhai, a city in china’s greater bay area located between hong kong and macau. zhuhai, which recently benefited from the completion of the longest sea-crossing bridge in the world, plays a pivotal role in the region’s growing tech hub, which hopes to rival silicon valley. in an effort to transform the city’s waterfront and create a blueprint for future development, SOM was selected from a shortlist of ten firms to create ‘jiuzhou bay’ — a new mixed-use neighborhood that features offices, residences, retail, and infrastructure.

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SOM’s design comprises five modular canopies that envelop three sides of a port. these canopies create a series of covered pedestrian alleyways, a lively retail environment, and interlinked courtyards along the waterfront promenade. ‘the forms of the canopies are inspired by the local legend of the fisher girl and reflect the fishing nets commonly seen on the coastline throughout the region,’ explains SOM design director sean ragasa. ‘we wanted our design to resonate with the culture and history of zhuhai, and to evoke a story that’s familiar to everyone who lives there.’

complementing the horizontal nature of the canopies is a 1,045-foot-tall (319 m) tower that rises at the heart of the neighborhood. the structure will stand as a new landmark for the region with a design inspired by the form of a lighthouse fresnel lens. the tower comprises 35 floors of office space topped by a 20-story ritz-carlton hotel complete with a skybar and observation deck. the tower is diagonally bisected by an axis that appears to peel open the façade, revealing a vertical atrium that offers visitors views of the bay.

‘the new neighborhood is designed to utilize zhuhai’s most abundant natural resources — the sea and sun — to reduce natural gas consumption, conserve water, and create a comfortable environment for residents, office workers, shoppers, and nightlife seekers, helping to activate the site both day and night,’ explain the architects. ‘the canopies also increase interior comfort and building efficiency by filtering daylight, harvesting energy via photovoltaic panels, and capturing rainwater.’

project info:

name: jiuzhou bay
location: zhuhai, guangdong province, china
client: zhuhai jiuzhou bay holdings group
architect: SOM
project size —
area: 40 acres
port site area: 1.8 million sqf
office: 1,643,100 sqf
residential: 1,020,900 sqf
service apartment: 1,304,800 sqf
retail: 588,000 sqf
hotel: 573,300 sqf
bus station: 173,900 sqf
ferry terminal: 327,300 sqf
jiuzhou bay tower —
height: 1,045 ft
total floors: 64
office floors: 35
hotel floors: 20