“When building a cultural landmark on a site positioned between the dynamic energy of a modern city and quiet timelessness of nature, it should be imagined as a free civic space – at first a land art park, with its functions complementing its aesthetics.”
Ma Yansong
Set between the vibrant city of Shenzhen, and the quiet oceanfront, “Shenzhen Bay Culture Park” juxtaposes two transcendental scales of time – the ‘ancient’ and the ‘future’ – through the setting of an ethereal artistic urban landscape.
The main concept of design is shaped by an open green plaza. Spread across the ground floor are a reception area, standard exhibition halls, public education space, library, auditorium, theater, cafe, and supporting businesses. These programs are depressed into the terrain and will remain unseen from above.
“I want to create a surreal atmosphere, so that the people who visit, relax or exercise here have the possibility of engaging in a dialogue with the past and the future. Time and space are dissolved and placed against each other, manifesting a sense of weightlessness, and unrestrained imagination”
Ma Yansong.
Pedestrian pathways from the city lead directly into the park, allowing an almost seamless transition from the largest urban area to the project's public green space. The gentle sloping of the roof naturally falls into the ground, shaping several sunken courtyards of continuous height across the park.
The sweeping green roofs and recessed courtyards form the foundation of this ‘three-dimensional’ citizen’s park. It not only serves as a 24-hour open public space, but it also functions as a performance venue and exhibition area.
A mirrored pool at the heart of the site serves as an en plein air seaside amphitheater that can accommodate 10,000 people. Multiple platforms found across the enduring landscape provide outdoor performance venues and public art exhibition areas shaping a dynamic civic space for hosting art and music festivals, and other domestic and international events – a place of cultural exchange.
The north and south pavilions each sit on opposite sides of the axis, and stand as smooth monumental stones, quietly settling into the environment. They sit backed by the city’s powerful development, and face the open calm of nature and the ocean in front of them, uniquely marking the passage of time.
Along the top floor of the south pavilion, visitors can walk through the exhibition space to reach a viewing platform that overlooks Shenzhen Bay and the city skyline. The special exhibition hall’s highest space soars to 30 meters. The unique gallery can accommodate a diverse display of large-scale installations, videos, multi-media, and performances, delivering stunning architectural spatial effects.
The “Shenzhen Bay Culture Park” is located within the Houhai area of Shenzhen’s Nanshan district. In the past decade, the economy of this area has developed rapidly into the city’s financial and innovation hub. In 2019, the GDP of the district exceeded 600 billion RMB. It is home to world-class enterprises such as Alibaba Cloud, Huawei, and Tencent, which has coined it the nickname “China's Silicon Valley.”
The numerous high-rises that have emerged as a result of economic and technological development now stand as a contrasting backdrop to MAD’s design. As the city thrives economically it now seeks to establish itself on a more cultural level. The “Shenzhen Bay Culture Park” is one of ten new cultural facilities spearheaded by the Shenzhen city development, and represents Shenzhen’s ambitions of becoming a “city of culture with global influence.”
The sweeping green roofs and recessed courtyards form the foundation of this ‘three-dimensional’ citizen’s park. It not only serves as a 24-hour open public space, but it also functions as a performance venue and exhibition area.
A mirrored pool at the heart of the site serves as an en plein air seaside amphitheater that can accommodate 10,000 people. Multiple platforms found across the enduring landscape provide outdoor performance venues and public art exhibition areas shaping a dynamic civic space for hosting art and music festivals, and other domestic and international events – a place of cultural exchange.
The north and south pavilions each sit on opposite sides of the axis, and stand as smooth monumental stones, quietly settling into the environment. They sit backed by the city’s powerful development, and face the open calm of nature and the ocean in front of them, uniquely marking the passage of time.
Along the top floor of the south pavilion, visitors can walk through the exhibition space to reach a viewing platform that overlooks Shenzhen Bay and the city skyline. The special exhibition hall’s highest space soars to 30 meters. The unique gallery can accommodate a diverse display of large-scale installations, videos, multi-media, and performances, delivering stunning architectural spatial effects.
The “Shenzhen Bay Culture Park” is located within the Houhai area of Shenzhen’s Nanshan district. In the past decade, the economy of this area has developed rapidly into the city’s financial and innovation hub. In 2019, the GDP of the district exceeded 600 billion RMB. It is home to world-class enterprises such as Alibaba Cloud, Huawei, and Tencent, which has coined it the nickname “China's Silicon Valley.”
The numerous high-rises that have emerged as a result of economic and technological development now stand as a contrasting backdrop to MAD’s design. As the city thrives economically it now seeks to establish itself on a more cultural level. The “Shenzhen Bay Culture Park” is one of ten new cultural facilities spearheaded by the Shenzhen city development, and represents Shenzhen’s ambitions of becoming a “city of culture with global influence.”
