MAD architects reveals plans for shenzhen bay culture park


Designboom_MAD architects, led by ma yansong, has revealed its masterplan and architectural design for the ‘shenzhen bay culture park’. the ambitious complex covers an approximate area of 51,000 square meters, with a total building area of 182,000 square meters. the project includes the ‘creative design hall’ and the ‘shenzhen science and technology museum’, as well as expansive public green space along shenzhen’s waterfront. the development is expected to complete in 2023.


MAD’s scheme is formed by a sprawling green plaza that conceals a reception area, standard exhibition halls, public education space, library, auditorium, theater, café and supporting businesses. sunken into the terrain, these programmatic functions appear as an ‘earth-art landscape’. gently sloping roofs naturally fall into the ground, shaping several sunken courtyards of continuous height across the park.



set between the city of shenzhen and the quiet oceanfront, the culture park juxtaposes two transcendental scales of time — the ‘ancient’ and the ‘future’ — through the setting of an ethereal artistic urban landscape. ‘I want to create a surreal atmosphere, so that the people who visit, relax or exercise here have the possibility of engaging in a dialogue with the past and the future,’ explains ma yansong.

 ‘time and space are dissolved and placed against each other, manifesting a sense of weightlessnes, and unrestrained imagination.’



conceived as a ‘three-dimensional citizen’s park’, the project not only serves as a 24-hour open public space, but also functions as a performance venue and exhibition area. a mirrored pool at the heart of the site forms an amphitheater that can accommodate up to 10,000 people. meanwhile, multiple platforms found within the landscape serve as outdoor performance venues and art exhibition areas.



the project’s north and south pavilions sit on opposite sides of the axis, appearing as smooth monumental stones. on the top floor of the south pavilion, visitors can walk through the exhibition space to reach a viewing platform that overlooks shenzhen bay and the city skyline. the special exhibition hall’s highest space, which soars to a height of 30 meters, can accommodate a diverse display of large-scale installations, videos, multi-media, and performances.