Zhuhai, China, recently named the most livable city in China by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, will soon be home to a new 5.6 million-sf mixed-use neighborhood that will feature offices, residences, retail, and infrastructure. The city was recently connected to Hong Kong and Macau via the longest sea-crossing bridge in the world.
Designed by SOM, the new neighborhood will feature a robust transportation hub that offers connections to land, sea, and rail across more than 40 acres; five modular canopies that envelop three sides of a 1.8 million-sf port, weaving together a landscape of towers behind it and creating a series of covered pedestrian alleyways; a retail environment; and interlinked courtyards along the waterfront promenade.
The canopy forms are inspired by the Fisher Girl, a local legend, and reflect the fishing nets commonly seen on the coastline throughout the region. Additionally, the canopies will increase interior comfort and building efficiency by filtering daylight, harvesting energy via photovoltaic panels, and capturing rainwater.
See also: New Foster + Partners-designed hospital begins construction in Cairo
At the heart of this new neighborhood will be a 1,045-foot-tall tower 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 with a skybox and observation deck. The tower is diagonally bisected by an axis that appears to peel open the facade, revealing a vertical atrium that offers visitors views of the bay.
The neighborhood will use Zhuhai’s most abundant natural resources, the sea and the sun, to reduce natural gas consumption, conserve water, and create a comfortable environment for residents, office workers, shoppers, and those seeking an active nightlife.
In a release, SOM Design Director Sean Ragasa said of the design, “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.”
Related Stories
Sponsored | | Mar 3, 2015
New York’s Fulton Center relies on TGP for light-flooded, underground transit hub
Fire-rated curtain wall systems filled this subterranean hub with natural light.
Sponsored | Shopping Centers | Feb 26, 2015
A color-changing gateway for Altara Center
Valspar works with developers to complete a multicolored shopping center façade in Honduras.
Industrial Facilities | Feb 24, 2015
Starchitecture meets agriculture: OMA unveils design for Kentucky community farming facility
The $460 million Food Port project will define a new model for the relationship between consumer and producer.
Office Buildings | Feb 18, 2015
Commercial real estate developers optimistic, but concerned about taxes, jobs outlook
The outlook for the commercial real estate industry remains strong despite growing concerns over sluggish job creation and higher taxes, according to a new survey of commercial real estate professionals by NAIOP.
Mixed-Use | Feb 13, 2015
First Look: Sacramento Planning Commission approves mixed-use tower by the new Kings arena
The project, named Downtown Plaza Tower, will have 16 stories and will include a public lobby, retail and office space, 250 hotel rooms, and residences at the top of the tower.
Mixed-Use | Feb 11, 2015
Developer plans to turn Eero Saarinen's Bell Labs HQ into New Urbanist town center
Designed by Eero Saarinen in the late 1950s, the two-million-sf, steel-and-glass building was one of the best-funded and successful corporate research laboratories in the world.
Office Buildings | Jan 27, 2015
London plans to build Foggo Associates' 'can of ham' building
The much delayed high-rise development at London’s 60-70 St. Mary Axe resembles a can of ham, and the project's architects are embracing the playful sobriquet.
Mixed-Use | Jan 26, 2015
MVRDV designs twisty skyscraper to grace Vienna's skyline
The twist maximizes floor space and decreases the amount of shadows the building will cast on the surrounding area.
| Jan 7, 2015
4 audacious projects that could transform Houston
Converting the Astrodome to an urban farm and public park is one of the proposals on the table in Houston, according to news site Houston CultureMap.
| Oct 31, 2014
Dubai plans world’s next tallest towers
Emaar Properties has unveiled plans for a new project containing two towers that will top the charts in height, making them the world’s tallest towers once completed.
