Goettsch Partners and Lead 8 Design Five-Building China Horoy Qianhai Guanze Mixed-Use Complex in Shenzhen

Chicago-based architecture firm Goettsch Partners (GP) and Hong Kong-based multidisciplinary architecture and design studio Lead 8 have designed a five-building, 320,000-square-meter mixed-use complex in the Qianhai district of Shenzhen, China. The project is being developed by Horoy Qianhai International Holdings Limited and will be situated on a five-parcel site.

The China Horoy Qianhai Guanze Mixed-Use development is a holistic design, integrating two Class A office towers, a five-star hotel, 50,000 square meters of retail and two serviced apartment buildings respectively. The project vision is to create a new urban complex and an alternative outdoor experience, with accompanying retail and commercial activities for the new emerging financial district in Shenzhen.

Lead 8 designed the overall master plan for the development and is directing the planning and design of all the retail and the two apartment buildings. GP is leading the planning and design for the two office towers and the hotel.

“This project will have a major impact on the evolving Qianhai district,” said James Zheng, AIA, LEED AP, president of Goettsch Partners. “GP is very pleased to help Horoy Holdings achieve their vision.”

“We are honored to be working with Horoy Holdings along with GP on this prestigious development in Qianhai,” said David Buffonge, cofounder and executive director of Lead 8.  “This is an unprecedented opportunity for us to create a dynamic, sustainable urban hub that will solidify Shenzhen’s role as a significant center for commerce in China.”

Overlooking the Shenzhen River waterfront, the tallest and most visible building in the development is a 62-story, 293-meter office tower. Designed as a simple, elegant structure, the tower is anchored by four pairs of mega-columns that define the building’s 45-degree corners. As the building rises, the corners slope inward while widening in profile, creating an iconic image along the skyline. Totalling 117,330 square meters, the landmark tower culminates in a low-slung V shape that clearly defines the building top. A textured primary facade contrasts with the smooth, reflective corner facades, providing a distinguished presence within the district. At the base, the long 30-meter span between the mega-columns opens a wide, soaring three-story lobby. This lobby space is enclosed with a highly transparent glass-fin wall that blurs the boundaries between inside and out. A stone-clad core provides a sense of solidity and establishes a recognizable entry experience.

At 37 stories, the second office tower totals 55,870 square meters and is designed to complement the landmark tower, featuring two similar 45-degree corners and a comparable façade system. The floor plates in both towers offer the flexibility to accommodate a variety of today’s tenants with efficient layouts. Optimized daylighting and spectacular views from all work stations help ensure the creation of a premier, Class A office environment.

Operated by Hilton as a Conrad property, the five-star hotel includes 298 guestrooms and features cascading amenity floors and landscaped roof gardens along its western side. These amenity spaces are oriented to face the adjacent green belt and Qianhai Bay, providing guests with exceptional landscape and water views. The guestrooms feature large floor-to-ceiling windows that take advantage of the views, and a variety of sophisticated amenity spaces and dining options will help define the hotel as a prime destination within the development.

A 50,000-square-meter, five-level retail complex connecting the office and residential towers acts as the anchor of the development. The programming of the retail center is conceived to provide a new urban realm for live, work and play in one location. A green park and green corridor on the retail rooftop podium serve as gateways for visitors to enter a tranquil and environmentally friendly atmosphere. Topped with sculptural pavilions, a selection of alfresco restaurants accompanied by green landscape scenery is an extension of the natural, serene space.

The lower courtyard at the heart of the retail podium is the central hub for events and activities and is a powerful connector of the basement levels with the retail precincts. Ease of access is facilitated by strong links to the city’s transport network, including a new MTR line and station, integrated into the lower levels of the retail podium.

The complex is designed with an emphasis on the outdoor environment, featuring an abundance of landscape and plazas that weave their way throughout the development. With the podium level covered in landscape, the ground plane is effectively lifted up to create a walkable setting with connections to the street level at specific locations. Green roofs, reflecting pools, garden spaces, and landscaped pedestrian plazas provide a more intimate setting and an inviting outdoor environment. 

The project is currently in the design development phase and is scheduled to start construction in mid-2016.

About Goettsch Partners
Goettsch Partners (GP) is an innovative architecture firm with a global perspective, emphasizing a singular design approach across offices in Chicago, Shanghai and Abu Dhabi. Focused on combining exceptional design, technical expertise and unmatched service, the firm creates measurable value and environmentally responsible solutions. Services include architecture, interiors, planning and building enclosure design. Diverse projects around the world share a consistent emphasis on bringing bold design clarity to complex challenges. Visit www.gpchicago.com for more information.

About Lead 8
Lead 8 is a multidisciplinary architecture and design studio with a reputation for fusing creative thinking with award-winning experience. The studio opened in 2014 to create a new kind of design practice. United by a desire to discover, define, design and deliver the best solution for each and every site, the company name stands for living environments, architecture and design. From studios in Hong Kong, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, Lead 8 specializes in the design of large-scale mixed-use and transit-oriented developments worldwide. Visit www.lead-8.com to find out more.