New York-based firm Laguarda.Low are set to transform the Bao’an district in Shenzhen, China with a 128-acre large-scale waterfront masterplan. Located 13 miles west of Shenzhen city center, and less than an hour’s drive from Hong Kong, OCT Bao’an will encompass dynamic spaces for business, retail, and entertainment. Designed in collaboration with landscape firm SWA, the Laguarda.Low scheme integrates nature, recreation, and culture in a new urban setting, a vision which was awarded first place in an international competition.
OCT Bao’an will be divided into four primary zones – a new Urban Business District, a multi-level Retail Park, a Culture Heritage Park, and a Book Market – all connected by a combination of pedestrian paths, integrated waterscapes, and landscaped promenades. The multi-level retail village will occupy the center of the development, surrounded by residential and office towers, a hotel, an indoor mall, and exhibition facility.
The Urban Business District to the south end of the site will include seven 13-storey office buildings and a 13-storey hotel. The tiered glass structures will serve as a backdrop to the waterfront development, with landscaped terraces and green roofs to collect rainwater and limit solar heat gain. To the east, a retail park will feature large domed skylights merging the line between indoor and outdoor space. The four-story retail park elevates the traditional shopping experience with natural light, dynamic circulation, and expansive green spaces.
At the north end of the site, the Cultural Heritage Park offers a range of leisure and entertainment facilities, including a retail center, open-air plaza, and performing arts center. Water serves as a key element of the scheme, separating various aquatic activities whilst allowing the public to explore the waterfront by boat.
The Book Market zone lies on the eastern side of the development, adjacent to a new library and youth center. The subterranean space contains a multi-level bookstore and food hall, with a landscaped park surrounding a dramatic skylight above.
News via: Laguarda.Low.
