Creating an Urban Ecosystem by Combining the Energy Inherent in the City with Nature

Büro Ole Scheeren unveiled the project "Scenic City", that is currently under construction in the Shenzhen Bay Super Headquarters Base. The project is designed focusing on ‘in-between’ spaces that extend the vital social fabric of our cities and merge intrinsic urban energy with nature to create a future model for a nature-infused workspace experience. Ole Scheeren, the architect behind the CCTV Headquarters in Beijing, was selected following a competitive international bidding process. Construction on the project commenced in early 2022 and is slated for completion by the end of 2027.

Caption:Scenic City – a New Headquarters For JD.Com

Caption: The Terraces Offer Space for Relaxation and
Encourage Social Interaction

JD.com’s new headquarters will be a prominent feature in Shenzhen’s Nanshan District, a flourishing business and financial hub serving the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area. The project, named ‘Scenic City’, will join a vibrant community of global corporations including ZTE, CITIC and OPPO. The design consists of 2 million sq ft of office, hotel, retail and cultural spaces across two towers and an adjacent ‘urban spine’. Sitting on top of the urban spine is JD Hub, a cultural venue housing a theatre and exhibition space open to the public. Beneath the towers, the shared podium of JD World will host a variety of cultural events. With its mixed-use offer and strategic positioning of accessible spaces, the campus is designed to integrate with its surroundings and stimulate activity with its urban context. 

Caption: Lush Greenery Weaves Vertically Along the Towers
in the 'In-Between Spaces

Caption: JD Hub: A Cultural Venue Housing a Theatre and
Exhibition Space That Will Be Open to The Public

Reaching nearly 200m in height, Scenic City is composed of individual blocks that relate to the varying urban scales surrounding it while their organic forms echo the natural contours of the nearby mountainous landscape. The facades of Scenic City’s towers bear a subtle resemblance to waterfalls, a prominent feature of Lingnan’s natural landscape. Vertical louvers provide ventilation and modulate the glass’s reflectivity and transparency, whilst visually evoking the image of water streams. The facade detailing offers visual cues to the scenic landscape but also creates a distinct identity for the headquarters within the cityscape, breathing life and energy into the urban fabric.

Caption: Vertical Louvres Provide Ventilation and Modulate
the Glass’s Reflectivity

Caption: 'In-Between Spaces' Provide A Stage for Public and
Social Life Both Within the Towers

The project’s connection to nature is continued by weaving lush greenery vertically throughout the towers. The facades open at certain intervals to provide glimpses of the building's interior and exterior spaces. These moments of vertical landscape are complemented by green terraces placed throughout the towers, offering staff access to spaces for relaxation and encouraging social interaction on every floor.

Caption: The Facade Offers Visual Cues to The Chinese
Landscape

The concept of 'in-between spaces' is deeply rooted in the oriental concept of nature, bringing focus to the moments that occur not only within the built volumes, but also around and amongst them. Scenic City pursues a holistic approach to a sustainable model of urbanity, integrating city, environment, community and architecture to create a synergistic urban ecosystem.

Büro Ole Scheeren

Büro Ole Scheeren is an international architectural firm that practices architecture, urban design, interior design and research. With offices in Hong Kong, Beijing, London, Berlin and Bangkok, Büro Ole Scheeren designs and realizes pioneering building projects and urban developments worldwide. To date, Ole Scheeren has completed projects totalling more than one million square meters, with another million currently under construction and a further million under design. The buildings have won numerous awards, including the CTBUH 10 Years Award for the Interlace in Singapore, the CTBUH Urban Habitat Award 2021 for DUO in Singapore, the CTBUH Award of Excellence for DUO and MahaNakhon in 2018, the World Building of the Year Award 2015 for The Interlace in Singapore, and the CTBUH Best Tall Building Worldwide Award 2013 for the CCTV Headquarters in Beijing.