CONSTRUCTION ON HYBRID PARK AND CITY BEGINS ON 'SHENZHEN TERRACES'

An architecture company called MVRDV won an international design competition for their terrific multi-level urban living room design. Located in Universiade New Town, Longgang District, Shenzhen, MVRDV's Shenzhen Terraces was selected from 27 entries by international design firms. 

The construction for the 101,300-square-metre Shenzhen Terraces has just begun. The new project will be a sustainable hybrid of city and park, supporting the bustling Shenzhen University neighbourhood in Longgang District by introducing incredible new programs. 

The new development will cover an area of over one million square feet. Although it includes a massive footprint, the designers intend to create an alternative to the surrounding towers that solely build upward. Imagine a collection of horizontal plates that will act as shady terraces against the harsh tropical sun. 

Although the terraces create a beautiful development, it is still closely tied to the designers' goal to create a vertical park. Winy Maas, a founding partner of MVRDV, had this to say. 

"Shenzhen Terraces can be seen as a three-dimensional park that makes it possible for students to walk outside to their lectures in the warm weather instead of being locked inside. In this project, we are not working against the climate but with it. The naturally ventilated terraces, protected from the sun by overhangs, will soon become fantastic hangout spots for people to meet and study."

The exterior park space and interior program are closely related, as expected from a hybrid city. Some of the layers of roofs will become parks, bridges and other semi-exterior useable spaces.

Large areas must be cut out of the buildings to create atriums where air and landscaping can penetrate different structures. This will allow life into the libraries, theatres, educational and commercial programs of Shenzhen Terraces.

"In cities like this, it is essential to carefully consider how public spaces and natural landscape can be integrated into the densifying cityscape. The urban living room of the Shimao ShenKong International Centre will be a wonderful example of this. It could become a model for the creation of key public spaces in New Town developments throughout Shenzhen. 

"It aims to make an area that you want be outside, hang out and meet, even when it is hot. A literally cool space for the university district, where all communication space can be outside. It will truly be a public building."