mecanoo's shenzhen north station masterplan comprises 12 staggered skyscrapers

mecanoo has been chosen to develop a masterplan in china that consists of 12 skyscrapers, an elevated pedestrian network, and a green urban park. the 1.36 million-square-meter development, which occupies the area around shenzhen’s north railway and metro station, encompasses a range of integrated programs, including offices, retail, apartments, and a hotel. the development’s main buildings, which vary in height between 278 and 428 meters (912 and 1,404 feet) are set around the open park.

all images and video courtesy of mecanoo

mecanoo’s winning proposal seeks to establish a distinct character for the shenzhen north station business district. offering safe and comfortable access routes to the subterranean railway and metro station, a two-level plinth merges with the park through an intricate network of overpasses, ramps, and landscaped platforms. an elevated pedestrian network connects all of the development’s towers, reinforcing the neighborhood-like atmosphere.

a two-level plinth merges with the park through an intricate network of landscaped platforms

in order to generate a lively public space, the site’s commercial areas are oriented towards the park. meanwhile, a water feature at its center provides a place to relax, congregate, and engage in leisure activities. the towers have been conceived within a system of equal setbacks so that the top two-thirds have a smaller footprint than the bottom third. ‘the result is an ensemble of towers that respond to each other’s shape, allowing open views and daylight optimization,’ explains mecanoo. ‘from a functional perspective, the variation in perimeters provides better accommodation of the mixed-used program.’

the development seeks to establish a neighborhood-like atmosphere

the hotel is contained within the upper part of the tower, while the programs that require maximum flexibility — the department stores, congress centers, and open-plan offices — are incorporated into the base. the setbacks also allow for the creation of roof gardens, which help to further integrate a sense of nature. a façade system of glazed, angled elements seeks to support the various programs, while responding to the orientation of the towers.

site plan indicating the scale of the development

elevation illustrating the setback nature of the towers

project info:

program: urban design for 1,36 million sqm development with offices, retail, apartments and hotel, underground parking, connection to public transport hub, design public space
status: 1st prize competition
design: 2017
client: government of longhua district / urban planning, land & resources commission of shenzhen municipality, china
façade consultant: VS-A.KR + VS-A.HK, south korea and hong kong

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