China’s “Science-Fiction” Skyscrapers & Mega-Cities

Many of China's ancient cities are racing to become new regional urban centers with almost other-worldy futuristic building booms. One of these cities is the new mega-city of Shenzen (image), a centre of foreign investment and one of the fastest growing cities in the world. It is also the busiest port in China.

Some of you may be aware of the architect Steven Holl, famous for some of the world's most unique building designs including the Linked Hybrid in Beijing which features several raised residential towers connected by bridges. Well now he’s lowering his sites a little, and turning what we all know on its side.

The Vanke Center, soon to be located in Shenzen, has taken what was once tall, and made it long. Hovering above the ground, this new design promotes more communication within, and provides a shaded walkway underneath.

Built with a set of geothermal wells to provide heating and cooling, grey-water recycling and a sun-protected aluminum façade, this building manages to stand apart from the social norm of putting corporations’ greed before the social good.
This building is almost its own little city. As long as the Empire State Building is tall, the Vanke Center contains apartments, malls, hotels and the like to minimize the amount of congestion outside of the center. It eliminates the need to travel to work, and subsequently adding to the already clogged motorways of China.

As Holl writes, “As a vision of tropical sustainability for the 21st century, Vanke Center incorporates several new sustainable elements designed specifically for the development. The floating building creates a flexible area of shaded landscape underneath the building, allowing sea and land breezes to pass through the site. The open plan provides space for the intricate multi-faceted daily life at the ground level to evolve and change.”

Is it just me, or does anyone else want to move to Shenzen?!

Be sure to check out a related post: China's Emerging Cities of the Future

Posted by Josh Hill

Links

http://www.stevenholl.com/PT370_1C.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Holl
http://www.stevenholl.com/PT337_1C.htm