Location: Shenzhen, China.

Architect: Mecanoo.

The Futian district in Shenzhen is undergoing urban regeneration efforts to improve its urban quality and reduce overcrowding. The new Civic Cultural Centre is a major part of this effort, providing cultural programs and social spaces to stimulate urban activity. The building is designed to be open to daylight and natural cooling breezes, with a strong connection to surrounding urban spaces. The ground floor is designed to be as open as possible, with a public square and pedestrian passage providing pedestrian links across the site. The building includes three theatres, a library, exhibition halls, and a kindergarten on a separate sub-plot. These functions are arranged within a 150m tower sitting on an L-shaped base, with the theatres not placed directly under the high rise to avoid structural complexity. The building is wrapped in a uniform triangulated grid facade that flares outwards to incorporate the theatres, giving it a strong, singular appearance. The Cultural Centre draws ground floor public activity to the top of the tower via efficient elevators and long escalators that connect a series of green atria and terraces. These atria provide a transition space between indoor and outdoor, public and private functions, and act as blood vessels that pump life into the building. Overall, the Cultural Centre aims to attract public activity and breathe new life into the Futian district of Shenzhen.