After years of development, the Shenzhen Bay Cultural Plaza is nearing completion. As a coastal green space that integrates public life, hosts outdoor activities, and welcomes ecological restoration, the Plaza will soon be integrated into the city's daily life, allowing the public to experience a unique space that blends with nature.

Ma Yansong: "Shenzhen Bay Culture Plaza should be a green urban living room that grows alongside the city's development. Situated between the CBD of a modern, international metropolis and nature, our primary consideration was to create a public civic space where everyone can enjoy the city's precious bay resources. We then organically integrate the building's exhibition hall function into this green landscape."

More than just architecture: Introducing land art spaces into the city

We broke with conventional architectural forms and placed the main body of the Shenzhen Bay Culture Plaza exhibition hall under a grassy roof. The rolling green space forms a fully connected, continuous natural system with Talent Park and Shenzhen Bay, and is organically connected to the central green belt of the city's green axis, the MixC commercial district, and Talent Park through two pedestrian bridges.

Ecological priority: sustainable landscape concept

Shenzhen Bay is a key stopover on the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. From autumn to spring each year, tens of thousands of migratory waterbirds, such as spoonbills, cormorants, and egrets, stop here to feed. Shenzhen Bay Cultural Plaza is located at the heart of this international bird corridor. Therefore, ecological conservation was prioritized from the outset of the design, with extensive planting of native vegetation to recreate intertidal feeding areas and habitats for passing birds.

Furthermore, we enhanced the biodiversity of the Shenzhen Bay region through the design of diverse topography and plant communities. Through the judicious combination of evergreen and deciduous tree species, we created a natural landscape that changes with the seasons, transforming this green space into an urban habitat where people and nature can coexist.

Flexible spaces cater to the infinite possibilities of future development: from strolling to markets, life happens here

The rooftop green space and sunken courtyards of Shenzhen Bay Culture Plaza are reserved for future performances, markets, outdoor exhibitions, and other functions.

The central pool can be transformed into an open-air theater to accommodate concerts, outdoor movies, and other activities. The green slopes have reserved multiple platforms, providing places for citizens to have picnics, rest, and other activities. Bicycle lanes and pedestrian paths run through the entire area, connecting to the city's main roads, making it suitable for cycling after work or strolling on the weekend.

Separation of pedestrians and vehicles, multi-dimensional connection: building a three-dimensional slow-moving system

Once the Shenzhen Bay Cultural Plaza is fully open, citizens and visitors will be able to access the underground activity space and waterfront area directly through passageways and elevators within the park area. A system of connecting bridges will also lead them directly from the commercial district to the rooftop green space and landscaped terraces.

Furthermore, a pedestrian- and vehicle-separated slow-moving network will allow people to traverse the cultural precinct freely and safely, avoiding traffic interference and enjoying a multi-dimensional public experience.

Shenzhen Bay Culture Plaza is located in Houhai, Shenzhen, covering an area of ​​approximately 51,000 square meters and a total construction area of ​​188,000 square meters. It consists of the North Hall, the South Hall and the Theme Hall, equipped with 9 exhibition halls and approximately 50,000 square meters of exhibition space, including a 720-seat original stone theater, a 330-seat design lecture hall, an art collection library and other functions.

Shenzhen Bay Culture Plaza is expected to be completed and fully open by the end of 2025.

Shenzhen Bay Cultural Plaza,
Shenzhen, China,
2018-2025

Type: Cultural Complex
Site Area: Approximately 51,000 square meters
Gross Construction Area: 188,000 square meters

Principal Partners: Ma Yansong, Dang Qun, Yosuke Hayano

Principal Associate Partners: Tiffany Dahlen, Li Jian

Design Team: Zhang Chao, Li Cunhao, Zhang Kai, Xu Shaohua, Ma Yiran, Li Hui, Yoshio Fukumori, Zhang Yaohui, Sun Feifei, Li Gang, Ning Tong, Haruka Tomoeda, Natawat Warotdulyavat, He Xin, Zhang Jiahao, Li Leyuan, Cao Xi, Maria Soledad, Sun Jingyi, Gan Mengjia, Wang Fei, Pan Jifu, Xu Tianyang, Tian Jin, Zou Dengyu, Yang Xuebing, Li Xinyun, Huang Jinkun, Lin Zihan, Jiang Linyun, Luis Torres, Neeraj Mahajan, Zhang Tong, Wang Yiwei, Wei Yunzhao, Raquel Valdes, Emma Sanson, Niu Shaobo, Huai Wei, Kenji Hada.

Client: Shenzhen Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, Tourism and Sports.
Construction: Nanshan District Construction and Public Works Bureau . Construction
Agent: China Resources Land (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.

Architectural Design: MAD

Grade-A Design Institute: East China Architectural Design and Research Institute. Structural Consultant: Arup Engineering Consulting (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., Shenzhen Branch. Curtain Wall Consultant: Afar Architectural Design Consulting (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.. Landscape Consultants: SASAKI Design, Metro Design, Shenzhen Hanbo Design Co., Ltd .. Interior Design: Shanghai Modern Architectural Decoration and Environmental Design Institute Co., Ltd.. Lighting Design: Beijing Ningzhijing Lighting Design Co., Ltd., RDI International Lighting Design. Signage Design: Kenya Hara (Beijing) Jingdasi Advertising Co., Ltd.) Acoustic Design: Guangdong Qiyuan Architectural Engineering Design Institute Co., Ltd. Traffic Consulting: Paimeng Traffic Consulting (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. Stage Consultant: Zhejiang Jinxiazi Cultural Development Co., Ltd. Waterscape Design: Shanghai Sushui Art Design Co., Ltd. Soft Furnishings Consultant: Design Republic Engineering and Supervision: Shenzhen Huaxi Construction Engineering Management Co., Ltd., China Construction Science and Engineering Group Co., Ltd., Shanghai Qingshui Concrete Technology Development Co., Ltd., Beijing Yihuida Qingshui Construction Engineering Co., Ltd., Fangda Construction Group Co., Ltd., Dadi Curtain Wall Technology Co., Ltd., Boda Construction Group Co., Ltd., Times Decoration Co., Ltd., Fangsen Garden and Flower Co., Ltd., Sonar Intelligent Systems Co., Ltd.

Photography: Zhu Yumeng