Skyscraper of the future in China — LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE AOTEAROA

Construction is set to begin soon on MVRDV’s Vanke 3D City in Shenzhen, China. Commissioned by Chinese property developers Vanke as their new headquarters, this skyscraper of the future contrasts dramatically with surrounding buildings.

Architecture and urban design practice MVRDV responded to the challenge of designing a mixed-used city block for two lots separated by a road, and with lots of outdoor space, by designing a stack of eight blocks that bridge the road and therefore connect the two plots. The result is a single 250-metre building with 167,000m2 of floor space.

Vanke’s 3D City is planned for Shenzhen in China.

While the eight blocks are cohesive, they each have a different façade treatment inspired by one of the core values of Vanke- health, energy, open, team, green, nature, future, and creative.

Four of these blocks also include and indent or hole to act as a ‘window to the world’, housing atriums, parks and plazas.

The building will be developed on two sites split by a road.

The base of the structure is designed to hold a sunken, multi-level, public green space. This network of plazas and walkways will incorporate the central road and provide round the clock access to restaurants and commercial areas. It will also be shaded and well ventilated, important due to Shenzhen’s tropical climate.

Above ground walkways will extend into neighbouring developments, and recreational areas and semi-public spaces will feature alongside offices, shops and homes.

Sustainability is an important feature of the design, with multiple green roofs being allowed for by its cluster shape, and the green park at the base fits with Shenzhen’s ‘Sponge City’ program, providing a porous landscape that can both prevent flooding and reduce the impact of the building on the surrounding ecosystems. There are also systems for water collection and recycling.

Winy Maas, principal and co-founder of MVRDV says that, “by opening the buildings, a series of giant collective halls are created with a view over the bay to the world. The plazas, gardens, and halls are connected by a series of stairs and elevators, linking the many blocks into a continuous urban fabric high off the ground- a true three-dimensional city.”