The Shenzhen Prince Bay mixed-use development project is located in the core area of Prince Bay in Shekou, Nanshan District, one of Shenzhen’s earliest developed areas. Spanning 74.62 hectares, this project integrates workplace, commercial, residential, cruise ship home port functions, and other ancillary services. Situated along the Pearl River Delta, Prince Bay is an entry point to mainland China.
As the final piece in the area’s regeneration scheme, the development aims to significantly boost growth and enhance the district’s vibrant community.
Project location analysis
The Shenzhen Prince Bay mixed-use development project encompasses a construction area of 13,934.66 square metres. The buildable land area accounts for 11,225 square metres, while the controlled construction area (public open space) north of the railway is 2,709.66 square metres.
The total construction area on the site is 73,700 square metres, comprising:
⁃ 49,850 square metres of offices,
⁃ 20,000 square metres of commercial space,
⁃ 3,000 square metres of public transport stops,
⁃ 700 square metres of electric charging stations,
⁃ and 150 square metres of property service buildings.
All buildings within the development are subject to a height limit of 200 metres. This project aims to create a well-balanced, functional space that supports the needs of the community and fosters growth in the area.
Design concept and aims
Benoy’s design concept focuses on creating a new city centre that serves as a dynamic hub of culture, ecology, commerce, services, technology, and offices. The project aims to provide an interactive spatial experience and establish the most forward-looking and innovative commercial destination, setting a new standard in modern commercial design. Key architectural design features include integration of urban design and scenic elements, a three-dimensional transport network, and the enhancement of cohesiveness and spatial hierarchy across each site.
Site and surrounding area
The project is surrounded by a comprehensive range of urban facilities. These include international schools, Grade A offices, luxury hotels, high-end commercial complexes and international hospitals. The site is extremely well-connected by public transport, with plans for three metro lines to converge at the site. The project’s favourable location and robust surrounding infrastructure contribute to the project’s potential to become a leading commercial and cultural destination.
Overall configuration
The overall configuration of the project is designed with careful considerations of the city skyline, transport infrastructure, and the surrounding views.
Key elements include:
• Building placement and skyline
The tower is strategically located at the north-east corner of the site to avoid visual interference with the neighbouring super high-rise buildings, contributing to a more fluid city skyline. Meanwhile, the green space on the north side serves as a firefighting access site and as the exclusive drop-off area for the tower.
• Commercial Podium
The main structure of the commercial podium consists of three storeys, forming a cohesive unit that blends seamlessly into the urban landscape along the city’s main road. The side facing the main road incorporates green space to create a dynamic commercial façade. A sky bridge on the second level links the two surrounding plots, establishing a vertical urban connection network and an overhead slow-moving traffic system for pedestrians and cyclists.
• Transport and accessibility
The public transport terminal, charging points, and HGV access are located along Shanghai Road. To prevent excessive traffic pressure on the city’s main roads, the public transport terminal is accessed via a dedicated route off the city road.
•Landscaping and zoning
Landscaping is strategically designed to separate the offices and commercial areas, enhancing the overall aesthetic and functional layout of the development.
• Architectural design
The team meticulously designed the building’s form to seamlessly integrate into the urban landscape using a pure vocabulary to perfectly unify the building’s façade with the fifth elevation, creating an elegant and distinctive form.
• Commercial space
The commercial space spans over three floors, featuring high-end business, arts and culture, luxury and leisurely living spaces. The retail space is partitioned effectively, with distinctive atriums linked by simple and clear lines to ensure an effective and convenient circular flow, adhering to the principles of commercial space design and energy.
Design proposals
The team has drawn up two proposals:
Proposal 1 features a 31-storey office tower with a standard storey height of 4.5 metres. The design, comprising five clusters, creates the illusion of stacked towers. With standard floors of approximately 2,000 square metres, offering a highly cost-effective solution. Each headquarters cluster features a separate three-storey sky lobby, meeting the developer’s requirement for an A‑grade office tower through a highly cost-effective vertical traffic design. The design supports a diverse range of work and leisure activities, fostering innovation in the workplace.
Proposal 2 presents a 44-storey tower with a standard floor height of 4.2 metres, optimising visual appeal amidst surrounding high-rise buildings through its stacked dynamic forms. The lower section of the tower comprises small and medium-sized two-bedroom apartments, each with various floor plans to speed up construction. The upper section features premium apartments with an exclusive terrace, pool and lush greenery.
Project overview:
Scope of services:
Masterplanning, conceptual architectural design
Category:
Mixed-use, commercial, workplace, apartments
Scale:
Total floor area 73,700 m2
Principle project designer:
Qin Pang Project director: Yejia Zhu
Project leader:
Ding Hao
Project design team:
Chen Qidan, Wei Liu, Wang Naijia
