Architecture

ZHA is turning port's car parks into sprawling science and tech hub

ZHA is turning port's car parks into sprawling science and tech hub
We've no word yet on when the Huanggang Port Area masterplan is expected to begin construction
We've no word yet on when the Huanggang Port Area masterplan is expected to begin construction
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The Huanggang Port Area masterplan envisions turning a busy area of a Shenzhen port into a new science and technology hub
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The Huanggang Port Area masterplan envisions turning a busy area of a Shenzhen port into a new science and technology hub
The Huanggang Port Area masterplan will be centered around turning the port's 1.67 sq km (0.6 sq miles) of parking lots and cargo inspection areas, into scientific research centres and laboratories
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The Huanggang Port Area masterplan will be centered around turning the port's 1.67 sq km (0.6 sq miles) of parking lots and cargo inspection areas, into scientific research centres and laboratories
The Huanggang Port Area masterplan will feature pedestrianized areas, including a large public square
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The Huanggang Port Area masterplan will feature pedestrianized areas, including a large public square
The Huanggang Port Area masterplan will include a series of greenery topped buildings which will be accessible using raised walkways
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The Huanggang Port Area masterplan will include a series of greenery topped buildings which will be accessible using raised walkways
We've no word yet on when the Huanggang Port Area masterplan is expected to begin construction
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We've no word yet on when the Huanggang Port Area masterplan is expected to begin construction
View gallery - 5 images

The lightning fast pace of development in Shenzhen, China, continues with a large new project by Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA). Named the Huanggang Port Area masterplan, the scheme envisions transforming a port area in the huge megacity into a new science and technology hub.

Assuming all goes ahead as planned, the Huanggang Port Area masterplan will be focused on turning the port's 1.67-sq-km (0.6-sq-miles) of existing parking lots and cargo inspection areas into a series of greenery covered scientific research centers and laboratories, as well as a conference center.

There will also be a residential area nearby that will consist of housing, schools, sports and recreational facilities, plus retail and dining spaces, an administrative area with supporting offices, and hotels for visiting scientists and researchers.

Finer details are still light at this early stage, but we do know that the masterplan will feature a wide pedestrian boulevard that connects to a plaza and a public square, while a series of skybridges and raised pathways will provide easy access between the buildings without requiring people to travel to the ground.

A collection of green spaces will also be located on the outskirts of the project and it will offer direct connection to Shenzhen's existing metro network.

The Huanggang Port Area masterplan will include a series of greenery topped buildings which will be accessible using raised walkways
The Huanggang Port Area masterplan will include a series of greenery topped buildings which will be accessible using raised walkways

"The future Huanggang Port Area masterplan in Shenzhen, China will be an important node of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen Science and Technology Corridor, creating a hub of scientific research and collaboration in industries such as microelectronics, material development, artificial intelligence, robotics, and medical sciences," says ZHA. "In addition to the two primary civic plazas, each smaller cluster of buildings has its own ‘nucleus’ of an outdoor communal square ensuring spaces for nature are integrated throughout the masterplan that will also create a green belt of parklands and wetlands along the Shenzhen River."

Zaha Hadid Architects has really stepped up its presence in China since longtime Hadid collaborator Patrik Schumacher took charge of the firm, with recent projects in that part of the world including a sustainable office building, a stunning skyscraper, an entire island, and a huge airport.

We've no word yet on when work is expected to begin on the Huanggang Port Area masterplan.

Source: ZHA

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2 comments
2 comments
paul314
So where do the existing users of the area go? No more cargo coming in, no more cars or trucks parking?
CAVUMark
Such incredible advances for a country once agrarian. A lesson for the rest of the world.