Foster + Partners has been named the winner of the design competition for Guangming Hub in China. The Transport Oriented Development proposal integrates three new metro lines in the city in an effort to support a larger masterplan aimed at revitalizing the area as a new urban destination. A construction timeline has not yet been announced.
“We are absolutely delighted to have been chosen as the designers for the Guangming Hub—a fantastic opportunity to develop a contemporary urban center with an integrated and sustainable transport hub at its heart,” says Grant Brooker, senior executive partner and head of studio at Foster + Partners. “The generously landscaped, walkable town center will seamlessly connect to a smart autonomous transportation system, combining both wellbeing and convenience, and creating a vibrant urban focus for the surrounding neighborhoods.”
The design will be developed at the intersection of two major rail lines, where surrounding topography currently hinders movement in and around the site. The project will overcome these obstacles by developing of a network of slow-moving autonomous vehicles with skybridges and shared paths for cyclists and pedestrians. On street level, a large retail podium will be outfitted with stepped green terraces, creating a link to surrounding forests, and a sunken green spine will run east-west across the site through the station. Inspired by the traditional Chinese gateway, the design will also comprise new office towers equipped with rail station access for pedestrians and autonomous vehicles. In addition to controlled wind and solar access, Foster + Partners’ winning design will be sustainably enhanced with an urban drainage system integrated into the landscape, permeable pavement, and bio-retention water features.
“The central idea is to capitalize on the natural beauty of the site, utilizing the lush landscape to create a lively experience for visitors and locals,” says Foster + Partners partner Young Wei-Yang Chiu. “It will be a forest gateway into Shenzhen.”
