A new destination located just north of Shenzhen’s main central business district, this mixed-use development features two landmark towers, a ballroom pavilion, and a large elevated pedestrian park that connects the hills of the city’s two major parks: Lotus Hill Park to the southwest and Beacon Hill Park to the northeast. An enlivened podium provides a variety of retail experiences, including a large indoor mall and a small-scale shopping village.

Designed with an emphasis on elegance and simplicity, the towers are a timeless addition to the Shenzhen skyline. In order to provide world-class office spaces, the design incorporates flexible floor plates, highly efficient systems, and unobstructed city views—all features that greatly enhance the user experience.

SOM’s architecture and engineering teams collaborated on the design of both signature towers as well as the ballroom pavilion. The taller tower, rising 80 stories and 389 meters, contains office space in the lower floors and a luxury hotel at the top. It is supported by a central core and eight megacolumns at the perimeter, a structural solution which minimizes obstructions and opens up panoramic views. These qualities are further enhanced by the curtain wall design, which incorporates oversized glass on a 3-meter module throughout. The second tower, entirely dedicated to offices, features the same 3-meter curtain wall grid.

The ballroom pavilion features a unique outdoor public terrace that connects to the elevated public green. This 12.5-meter high open-air space frames views of Beacon Hill Park, which lies directly to the east of the pavilion. Two large ballrooms above this terrace offer panoramic views to both the east and west, and restaurants are located on the upper floor. The faceted design of the Pavilion resulted from a structural concept—the folded enclosure to the north, south, and on the roof provides a structural depth which enables the long spans for the ballroom spaces.

SOM also designed the two bridges that connect the site to the parks, which feature a meandering pathway to provide a varied experience along their length. The east bridge descends from the elevated green at a gentle slope, zig-zags across Huanggang Road to the east, and lands amid the tree-filled Beacon Hill Park. The west bridge, with its long spans across Caitian Road, is designed to provide a more protected pedestrian experience. The main pedestrian pathway weaves between successive garden spaces, while the depth of the bridge varies in correspondence with the long spans between columns.