OMA's 'prince plaza' tower comes to life in shenzhen, china

prince plaza: oma takes to shekou

Rising over Shenzhen‘s vibrant Shekou district, the 200-meter-tall mixed-use Prince Plaza podium tower stands with architecture by OMA. Completed in 2020, the project was designed to pay homage to Shekou’s unique blend of natural beauty, industrial heritage, and modernity. Since its opening, the retail and workspaces have been celebrated for their innovative design, ability to connect with the environment, and contribution to the urban fabric of the Chinese city. New images of the tower, its patterned facade, and its interiors have been unveiled which capture how the spaces have come to life.

images © Kris Provoost, courtesy OMA

framing shenzhen’s surrounding landscape

Shekou, a district of Shenzhen characterized by its blend of mountains, sea, industrial heritage, and contemporary skyscrapers, serves as the backdrop for OMA’s Prince Plaza. Located within the Sea World district, the tower enjoys a coastal setting framed by the Nanshan Mountains and the Shenzhen Bay. This location offers an abundance of public outdoor spaces, making it a prime canvas for architectural innovation. The architects embrace this dynamic context by creating an harmonious link between the latest commercial developments, Shekou’s industrial past, and the enduring natural environment.

OMA’s design connects the tower with Shekou’s diverse landscape of mountains, sea, and industry

MAXIMIZING THE view corridor

Prince Plaza occupies a prime location along Shekou’s most prominent view corridor, which spans from the mountains to the sea. In an exemplary display of thoughtful design, the tower takes full advantage of this view corridor without obstructing it. The architectural ensemble consists of four bars attached to a central core, with three sky decks serving as viewing platforms. These sky decks, adorned with a hexagon-patterned facade inspired by hills and waves, provide captivating vistas of the mountains and the sea. Designed for use by both tenants and the public, they enrich the collection of public outdoor spaces in the coastal Sea World district.

a hexagon-patterned sky decks opens to views of the Nanshan Mountains and the Shenzhen Bay

A Modular Approach

OMA’s use of sky decks breaks down Prince Plaza tower’s otherwise monolithic 60,000-square-meter structure into four bars of varying sizes. This design approach is a response to the distinctive architectural scales present in the surrounding environment. Notably, two bars on one side are slightly set back to expand the perimeter of each floor plate, ushering in more natural light into the office spaces. The tower’s fluted facade, featuring extra-wide glass panels, not only fosters a visual connection between office tenants and the surrounding mountains and sea but also imparts a sense of lightness to the slender vertical bars.

postcard scenes await on the tower’s sky decks, inspired by the hills and waves of the surrounding landscape

Beneath the tower, a sprawling 40,000-square-meter podium mall stretches across the orthogonal site to maximize street-level retail frontage. Setting itself apart from conventional enclosed shopping malls, Prince Plaza’s podium mall is screened by a porous facade and a topped by a roof terrace, effectively extending the commercial and recreational offerings of the Sea World district. A striking opening, marked by a facade design reminiscent of the sky decks, serves as a focal point for the view corridor that runs through the site. Furthermore, underground levels of the mall seamlessly integrate with two metro lines, enhancing connectivity and accessibility for both tenants and visitors.

the rooftop terrace of the podium mall provides a calming escape amidst the busy district

integrated metro lines ensure easy access for tenants and visitors, enhancing connectivity in Shenzhen

1/7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

project info:

project title: Prince Plaza

architecture: OMA | @oma.eu

location: Shenzhen, China

client: CMSK (China Merchants Shekou Holdings)

previous coverage: August 2020

photography: © Kris Provoost | @krisprovoost, courtesy OMA

OMA team

partner-in-charge: David Gianotten

project architect: Bauke Albada

competition team: Andreas Viglakis, Chee Yuen Choi, Lingxiu Chong, Luke Lu, Xu Yang, Yang Shi, with Max Bergman, Helen Chen, Tim Cheung, Vanessa Chik, Jocelyn Chiu, Ikki Kondo, Erick Kristanto, Charles Lai, Anthony Lam, Federico Letizia, Arthas Qian, Jue Qiu, Roberto Requejo, Ricky Suen

design team: Ka Tam, Saul Smeding, Vincent Mcilduff, Wanyu He, Yin Ho, Yongwon Kwon, Xu Yang, with Daan Ooievaar, Jedidiah Lau, Jenny Ni Zhan, Kathleen Cayetano, Luke Lu, Mavis Wong, Paul Feeney, Slobodan Radoman, Thorben Bazlen, Vincent Kersten,

construction team: Ka Tam, Saul Smeding, Xu Yang, Yongwon Kwon, with Christina Kuo, Hafsa Siddique, Joanna Gu, Mark Kanters, Yutian He

collaborators:

LDI & MEP: Huasen, Li Hongdi, Li Lian, Lian Xianrong, Liu Chong, Tan Lan, Zhong Yubo

structure: RBS, Li Shengyong, Zhang Wenhua

traffic: SUTPC, Jiang Jie, Shao Yuan

commercial: World Union Properties, Ivy, Luo Yu, Zhang Lin

facade: Arup, Jason Paget, Lian Hongbo, Max Wu, Nina You, Robert Wu, Simon Wu

interior: Benoy, Arnold Kee, Chris Lohan, Elaine Tao, Kai Chung Ng, Kali Chan, Keith Chau, Peter Mccaffery, Sandy Tsui

sustainability: Yuezhong, Songbo Shu, Yuanchang Yu

landscape: Metrostudio, Ando Kraithera Lolurlert, Antonio Inglese, Lionella Biancon, Valentina Ticino, Zhang Fangfa,

metro station integration: China Railway Tunnel Survey & Design Institute, Hu Jianguo

lighting: CD+M, Patrick Yu, Sunny Kang, Ted Ferreira, Tony Pascocello, Patrick Yu
models: OMA / RJ Models