Bio-Pharmaceutical Enterprise Accelerator, Shenzhen
How did we design a biotech-campus in one of China’s fastest growing cities?
In the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, a new center for China’s young biotechnology and start-up scene is taking shape. The region is undergoing massive change: Internationally, China is no longer perceived as solely a manufacturing nation but is instead becoming increasingly established as a hotbed of ideas for the high-tech industry.
Our design for Bio-Pharmaceutical Enterprises reflects the new Chinese typology of a research campus and innovation center. Unlike the European and American campus, it is arranged vertically and is strongly condensed in spatial terms. By way of contrast to the multi-story structures, we have also planned park-like open spaces. The spacious layout and greenery of the park offers public meeting places away from the office and is an integral element of our design. With the terraces incorporated into the buildings, we give expression to the notion of remaining connected to nature everywhere – even if it’s just through the view out of the window.
The three striking high-rises with heights of 100, 154 and 200 meters are aligned towards the city. The lower, amorphously shaped buildings face the park. The staggering of the buildings enables us to make a flowing transition between the towers on the north edge of the site, which rise up to 200 meters, the medium high-rise buildings and the open, park-like space.
We gave a very densely built campus a lot of greenery and expanse.
Bio-Pharmaceutical Enterprise Accelerator
Project: Bio-Pharmaceutical Enterprise Accelerator, Shenzhen
Client: Shenzhen Pingshan District Industrial Investment Service Co., Ltd.
GFA: 672,425 m²
Competition: 09/2018, 1st prize
Start of construction: 2019
“Every culture that is redeveloping will also require stimuli from outside and seek new approaches and ideas. That goes for China as much as for us.”
With this campus, we are creating the urban framework for a culture that’s on the move. Production of simple goods is yesterday’s news. Today, China is developing into a society that aims to secure and expand on its economic strength through research, science and innovation. Shenzhen is seeing the development of a special kind of campus – highly condensed yet with extensive green spaces.