Laguarda.Low Architects recently completed the design of an expansive new 3.7 million square-foot mixed-use development for CM-OCT Investment in Longhua New District, Shenzhen, China. Comprised of eight high-rise towers, two cultural buildings, over twenty low-rise retail buildings, and an abundance of open green space, the new development will serve as an important center of activity for both the Longhua New District and the city of Shenzhen.
As both Master Planner and Master Architect for the project, and working with renowned landscape design firm SWA, Laguarda.Low has envisioned the project as a city within a city, giving each building a distinct architectural character and connecting the residential, office, retail hotel and cultural buildings through landscaped pedestrian walkways and a central green corridor that runs the length of the site from north to south.
Laguarda.Low's plan positions a multi-level retail village at the center of the site, surrounded by four residential towers to the northeast; three office towers to the southeast; a hotel to the south; an indoor mall to the west; and a new performance hall and an exhibition facility to the north, across from the city's green belt. A central loop connects the various zones and provides access to parking below.
"We are very proud to create a distinct urban development for this growing area of the city," stated Pablo Laguarda, Principal of Laguarda.Low. "The quality and arrangement of the buildings, along with the dynamic public spaces, creates a vibrant setting to live, work, and enjoy the development's cultural and entertainment facilities."
