An architectural marvel in Shenzhen’s Nanshan District
In the vibrant heart of China’s Nanshan District, architecture studio MAD presents the Shenzhen Bay Culture Square. This design museum is distinguished by its captivating stone-like structures set atop a lush, rolling green roof.
Situated in Houhai, the museum serves as a beacon for design and culture while doubling as a dynamic public space for Shenzhen’s residents. It’s an inviting coastal venue where the realms of human creativity and nature intermingle.
Shenzhen Bay Culture: A vision for open and equal public spaces
MAD’s founder, Ma Yansong, shares, “Much of my work is guided by the same question: can public space be more open and equal?” Facing a city known for its youthful energy and efficiency, MAD reimagines reclaimed land, integrating elements of nature into future-oriented design.
The design seamlessly melds the museum with its surrounding environment, encouraging users to explore and engage intimately with the space.
A design that connects city and sky
Nestled between a skyline of towering buildings and the expansive Talent Park, the culture square accommodates exhibition galleries, a multifunctional theatre, a design library, and educational facilities. The verdant roof trails over the underground museum, crafting corridors that bridge urban landscapes with coastal serenity.
The museum’s architecture, featuring granite-clad, boulder-like forms, gradually diminishes from a prominent 28-meter gallery down to a modest domed structure, tactfully preserving the flight path of migrating birds along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway.
Crafted harmony between architecture and environment
Emphasizing natural coexistence, MAD has submerged building volumes beneath earth’s surface, offering an unobstructed waterfront for public enjoyment. Visitors are encouraged to embark on adventures across meandering paths and ascend gentle inclines to panoramic viewpoints.
In subterranean havens, concrete exteriors remain exposed, encircling a ring-shaped atrium that harmoniously unites galleries by flooding spaces with natural light. This deliberate practice enhances the fluidity among the museum’s spaces.
A shallow pool anchors the site, bordered by an outdoor plaza crafted for performances, markets, and festivals. Verdant native plants blanket the roof, gracefully descending towards the nearby park’s wetland, ensuring a seamless transition to the shore.
For more architectural marvels by MAD, explore their revitalization project in Yeouido, highlighting innovative designs like the Shenzhen Bay Culture Square.
Highlighted among other MAD projects in China, the Shenzhen Bay Culture Square joins a bulbous science museum in Haikou and Shenzhen’s innovative curvilinear headquarters.
Discover how natural materials and design converge in Haotang Village’s carpentry hub crafted by Primary Architects, similar to Shenzhen’s approach.
Source: dezeen.com
Frequently asked questions
What is Shenzhen Bay Culture Square?
Shenzhen Bay Culture Square is an architectural marvel in Shenzhen’s Nanshan District, designed by MAD architecture studio. It serves as a design museum with captivating stone-like structures atop a lush, rolling green roof. The museum acts as a beacon for design and culture while functioning as a public space.
How does MAD’s design integrate with the environment?
MAD has submerged building volumes beneath the earth’s surface, offering an unobstructed waterfront for public enjoyment. The verdant roof trails over the underground museum, crafting corridors that blend urban landscapes with coastal serenity. This design encourages interaction with the space through meandering paths and gentle inclines leading to panoramic viewpoints.
What facilities does the culture square include?
The culture square accommodates exhibition galleries, a multifunctional theatre, a design library, and educational facilities. It features a ring-shaped atrium that unites galleries by flooding spaces with natural light. There’s also an outdoor plaza for performances, markets, and festivals.