Prince Plaza | OMA

Shekou, developed as an industrial area in the 1970s to drive the economy of Shenzhen, has witnessed the transformation of the city from an industrial port into a financial and cultural hub. In search of a new position in Shenzhen's latest wave of development, Shekou does not aim to become another CBD like Futian, Qianhai and Houhai, but a unique area with a juxtaposition of old industrial buildings converted into offices for creative industries, and new shopping malls and international offices.

Prince Plaza is confronted with a mix of urbanity within Shekou: how does the building integrate with the existing industrial fabric and the new commercial and office developments? How does Prince Plaza benefit from its location at the waterfront, with verdant mountains behind it? Located at the prominent mountain sea view corridor, Prince Plaza comprises a horizontal podium accommodating retail and a stepped tower at one end of the podium, accommodating offices. The podium stretches the full length of the orthogonal site, while the 200m tower aligns with the view corridor without obstructing it, becoming a beacon that guides the view from the waterfront to the mountain.

In response to the scale of the site, the tower is split into two separate bars that share a common core. Each bar is broken down through the insertion of a sky deck, serving both tenants of Prince Plaza and the public. The two decks are at different heights, responding to the scales of the surrounding buildings. One of the bars is slightly set back, resulting in floor plans with increased perimeters to maximize natural light. The podium mall has a large opening at grade to allow continuity of the view corridor. Two bridges are introduced to connect Price Plaza to the two tallest office towers in the Sea World masterplan, a large scale commercial and entertainment development in Shekou.

The podium has a modular system of façade elements of stone, glass, and advertisement signage, adjustable depending on the program of the mall. The tower has a fluted façade to emphasize the slenderness of the vertical volumes. At the view corridor, the facades employ a pattern inspired by the mountain and the sea, emphasizing the relationship between the building and its surroundings. Prince Plaza becomes part of the repositioning of Shekou by responding to the area's industrial history and its new ambitions for development.

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