Shenzhen, China

Vanke Center: A Horizontal Skyscraper Over Maximized Landscape

_through the wire

Steven Holl Architects

© Hufton + Crow . Published on April 29, 2011.

Hovering over an inventive “sea scribble” garden, a harmonious union of buildings, offices, apartments, and hotel appear as if they were once floating on a higher sea; that sea has now subsided, leaving them propped up high on glass and white coral-like legs.

© Hufton + Crow . Published on April 29, 2011.

Rather than creating a series of building shapes that address the various uses within the complex, the design combines all the various programs into one grand vision for a floating horizontal skyscraper. It is an innovative visualization that is coherent in its parallel geometry. Like the ocean horizon, it sublimates all the various programs into a grander image.

© Hufton + Crow . Published on April 29, 2011.

The floating horizontal bars of space allow sea and land breezes to pass through a flexible, shaded landscape. Under the order of permanence an amorphous program of porous movement engages the diverse functions of the intricate and ever-evolving everyday life tied to the complex Shenzhen city fragment.

© Hufton + Crow . Published on April 29, 2011.

As a tropical, sustainable 21st century vision the building integrates several new sustainable aspects and solar energy. A special geothermal cooled waterscape with radiative cooling lakes creates a microclimate in the shadows of the structure. These rectangular cooling lakes which radiate upwards reflecting off the colored aluminum ceilings above are fed by a greywater system. A special system circulates all greywater down 100 meters below ground to pick up the colder groundwater. The glass façade will be protected against the toll of sun and wind by moveable screens made of special composites. The façade shading provided by moveable overhangs allows unobstructed views to the sea and mountains beyond.

© Hufton + Crow . Published on April 29, 2011.

© Hufton + Crow . Published on April 29, 2011.

© Hufton + Crow . Published on April 29, 2011.

© Hufton + Crow . Published on April 29, 2011.

© Hufton + Crow . Published on April 29, 2011.

© Hufton + Crow . Published on April 29, 2011.

© Hufton + Crow . Published on April 29, 2011.

© Hufton + Crow . Published on April 29, 2011.

© Hufton + Crow . Published on April 29, 2011.

© Hufton + Crow . Published on April 29, 2011.

© Hufton + Crow . Published on April 29, 2011.

© Hufton + Crow . Published on April 29, 2011.

© Hufton + Crow . Published on April 29, 2011.

© Hufton + Crow . Published on April 29, 2011.

© Hufton + Crow . Published on April 29, 2011.

© Hufton + Crow . Published on April 29, 2011.

© Hufton + Crow . Published on April 29, 2011.

© Hufton + Crow . Published on April 29, 2011.

© Hufton + Crow . Published on April 29, 2011.

© Hufton + Crow . Published on April 29, 2011.

Image: Steven Holl Architects © All rights reserved.

© Steven Holl Architects . Published on March 22, 2007.

Image: Steven Holl Architects © All rights reserved.

© Steven Holl Architects . Published on March 22, 2007.

Image: Steven Holl Architects © All rights reserved.

© Steven Holl Architects . Published on March 22, 2007.

Image: Steven Holl Architects © All rights reserved.

© Steven Holl Architects . Published on March 22, 2007.

Image: Steven Holl Architects © All rights reserved.

© Steven Holl Architects . Published on March 22, 2007.

Image: Steven Holl Architects © All rights reserved.

© Steven Holl Architects . Published on March 22, 2007.

Image: Steven Holl Architects © All rights reserved.

© Steven Holl Architects . Published on March 22, 2007.

Image: Steven Holl Architects © All rights reserved.

© Steven Holl Architects . Published on March 22, 2007.

Image: Steven Holl Architects © All rights reserved.

© Steven Holl Architects . Published on March 22, 2007.

Image: Steven Holl Architects © All rights reserved.

© Steven Holl Architects . Published on March 22, 2007.

Image: Steven Holl Architects © All rights reserved.

© Steven Holl Architects . Published on March 22, 2007.

Image: Steven Holl Architects © All rights reserved.

© Steven Holl Architects . Published on March 22, 2007.

Image: Steven Holl Architects © All rights reserved.

© Steven Holl Architects . Published on March 22, 2007.

Image: Steven Holl Architects © All rights reserved.

© Steven Holl Architects . Published on March 22, 2007.

Image: Steven Holl Architects © All rights reserved.

© Steven Holl Architects . Published on March 22, 2007.

Image: Steven Holl Architects © All rights reserved.

© Steven Holl Architects . Published on March 22, 2007.

Image: Steven Holl Architects © All rights reserved.

© Steven Holl Architects . Published on March 22, 2007.

Image: Steven Holl Architects © All rights reserved.

© Steven Holl Architects . Published on March 22, 2007.

Image: Steven Holl Architects © All rights reserved.

© Steven Holl Architects . Published on March 22, 2007.

Image: Steven Holl Architects © All rights reserved.

© Steven Holl Architects . Published on March 22, 2007.

Image: Steven Holl Architects © All rights reserved.

© Steven Holl Architects . Published on March 22, 2007.

Image: Steven Holl Architects © All rights reserved.

© Steven Holl Architects . Published on March 22, 2007.

Image: Steven Holl Architects © All rights reserved.

© Steven Holl Architects . Published on March 22, 2007.

Image: Steven Holl Architects © All rights reserved.

© Steven Holl Architects . Published on March 22, 2007.

Image: Steven Holl Architects © All rights reserved.

© Steven Holl Architects . Published on March 22, 2007.

Image: Steven Holl Architects © All rights reserved.

© Steven Holl Architects . Published on March 22, 2007.

Image: Steven Holl Architects © All rights reserved.

© Steven Holl Architects . Published on March 22, 2007.

Image: Steven Holl Architects © All rights reserved.

© Steven Holl Architects . Published on March 22, 2007.

Image: Steven Holl Architects © All rights reserved.

© Steven Holl Architects . Published on March 22, 2007.

Image: Steven Holl Architects © All rights reserved.

© Steven Holl Architects . Published on March 22, 2007.

Image: Steven Holl Architects © All rights reserved.

© Steven Holl Architects . Published on March 22, 2007.

Image: Steven Holl Architects © All rights reserved.

© Steven Holl Architects . Published on March 22, 2007.

Image: Steven Holl Architects © All rights reserved.

© Steven Holl Architects . Published on March 22, 2007.

Image: Steven Holl Architects © All rights reserved.

© Steven Holl Architects . Published on March 22, 2007.

Image: Steven Holl Architects © All rights reserved.

© Steven Holl Architects . Published on March 22, 2007.

Image: Steven Holl Architects © All rights reserved.

© Steven Holl Architects . Published on March 22, 2007.

Image: Steven Holl Architects © All rights reserved.

© Steven Holl Architects . Published on March 22, 2007.

Image: Steven Holl Architects © All rights reserved.

© Steven Holl Architects . Published on March 22, 2007.

Image: Steven Holl Architects © All rights reserved.

© Steven Holl Architects . Published on March 22, 2007.

Image: Steven Holl Architects © All rights reserved.

© Steven Holl Architects . Published on March 22, 2007.

Image: Steven Holl Architects © All rights reserved.

© Steven Holl Architects . Published on March 22, 2007.

Add to Favorites

Print

Published by

Europaconcorsi

Published on

March 22, 2007

Frontcover

April 29, 2011

Newsletter

May 02, 2011

Portfolio

Albums

Elements

Interior Stairways and Ramps

Stairs, Ramps and Outdoor Terraces

Landscapes

Urban

Themes

Architecture and Detail

Experimental

Architecture and Landscape

Architecture and Color

Favorited by

People

Head Designer

Steven Holl Architects

Photo by

Hufton + Crow

Collaborators

Collaborators

Steven Holl, Li Hu, Gong Dong, Garrick Ambrose, Kefei Cai, Eric Li, Cressica Brazier, Hideki Hirahara, Yenling Chen, Filipe Taboada, Justin Allen

Design Team

Design Architects: Steven Holl, Li Hu Project Architects: Gong Dong, Garrick Ambrose

Graphic

Models, Graphics, Renders: Steven Holl Architects

Consultants

Structural engineering

CABR + CCDI

MEP

Transsolar + CCDI

Other consultants

Curtain Wall Consultants: Yuanda Curtain-wall Lighting Consultant: lobservatoire International

Landscape

Steven Holl Architects + CLDC, Beijing / Shenzhen

Facts Sheets

Client

Shenzhen Vanke Real Estate Co. LTD.

Dimensions

Built Surface

123000

Same authors projects

Chengdu, China

Sliced Porosity Block

Steven Holl Architects

Sha-rafflescity-12-10-3695_normal

New Mexico, United States of America

Turbulence House

Steven Holl Architects

-23_normal

Seoul, South Korea

Daeyang Gallery and House

Steven Holl Architects

Daeyang-sha-7523_normal

Washington D.C., United States of America

The New Residence at the Swiss Embassy

Steven Holl Architects, Rüssli Architekten

2006822swss_-0787_normal

Arizona, United States of America

Planar House

Steven Holl Architects

Ecdt1660_normal

Biarritz, France

Cité de l´Ocean et du Surf

Steven Holl Architects

Af9282_normal

Project with photos by the same photographers

Marseille, France

CMA CGM Tower

Zaha Hadid Architects

Zh_cma-cgm_marseille_©hufton_crow_032_normal

London, United Kingdom

Pulsate

Lily Jencks, Nathanael Dorent

Cds_pulsate_©hufton_crow_008_normal

Ghent, Belgium

Market Hall

Robbrecht En Daem Architecten, Marie-josé Van Hee

R_d_market-hall-ghent_©hufton_crow_030_normal

Chengdu, China

Sliced Porosity Block

Steven Holl Architects

Sliced-porosity-block-008_normal

Beijing, China

Galaxy Soho

Zaha Hadid Architects

Galaxy-soho-zha-12-10-5943_normal

Bushmills, Ireland

Giants Causeway Visitor Centre

Heneghan Peng Architects

H_p_giants-causeway_©hufton_crow_002_normal

Similar Projects

Paris, France

Social Housing, Paris

Inspace

Inspace_poissoniers_07_normal

Barcelona, Spain

Social Housing Tower INCASOL

Roldán + Berengué arqts.

Torre_europa_0113_normal

Mieres, Asturias, Spain

VIVAZZ, 131 Viviendas Protegidas

zigzag arquitectura

Rh1977-0046_zza_normal

Pordenone (PN), Italia

ULH. Urban Lake Housing

C+S Architects

Ulh-04e-_b__normal

Vejle, Denmark

The Wave

Henning Larsen Architects

B滾gen-36_normal

Fabriano (AN), Italia

Edificio residenziale

Lorenzo Rossi Architetti

Foto-copertina_normal

Topoftheweek

Since 1998 Europaconcorsi brings out a carefully edited selection of the best architecture projects from around the world. With over 77,000 published projects Europaconcorsi is the largest online archive dedicated to contemporary architecture.

Not only that, Europaconcorsi is the leading platform for competitions and business opportunities for architects in Europe. It is updated five days a week with approximately 400 public procurement notices from the European Union, the European Economic Area and beyond. The quality of our information service is such that the most prestigious Italian Architects Associations pay us to provide it to all their members.

But, not only that, one of the main goals of Europaconcorsi is to encourage the spreading of ideas and projects among architects. More than 31,000 architects and planning offices use our site to spread their projects on the Web. This distinguishes us from our competitors: Europaconcorsi is the first and largest user-generated content architecture website on the interent.