Tall & Urban News

Zhuhai Plans Bay Neighborhood with Modular Canopies and Supertall Tower

Jiuzhou Bay Tower will be part of a new waterfront neighborhood in Zhuhai.
Jiuzhou Bay Tower will be part of a new waterfront neighborhood in Zhuhai.
25 September 2020 | Zhuhai, China

Skidmore Owings Merrill (SOM) has unveiled plans for a new waterfront neighborhood to be built in Zhuhai, a city in China’s greater bay area located north of Macau. Zhuhai, which recently benefited from the completion of the longest sea-crossing bridge in the world, plays a pivotal role in the region’s growing tech hub. In an effort to transform the city’s waterfront and create a blueprint for future development, SOM was selected from a shortlist of ten firms to create "Jiuzhou Bay"—a new mixed-use neighborhood that features offices, residences, retail, and infrastructure.

SOM’s design comprises five modular canopies that envelop three sides of a port. These canopies create a series of covered pedestrian alleyways, a lively retail environment, and interlinked courtyards along the waterfront promenade. "The forms of the canopies are inspired by the local legend of the fisher girl and reflect the fishing nets commonly seen on the coastline throughout the region," explains SOM design director Sean Ragasa. "We wanted our design to resonate with the culture and history of Zhuhai, and to evoke a story that’s familiar to everyone who lives there."

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Complementing the horizontal nature of the canopies is a 1,045 foot tall (318.5 meters) tower that rises at the heart of the neighborhood. The structure will stand as a new landmark for the region with a design inspired by the form of a lighthouse Fresnel lens. The tower comprises 35 floors of office space topped by a 20-story Ritz-Carlton hotel complete with a skybar and observation deck. 

"The new neighborhood is designed to utilize Zhuhai’s most abundant natural resources—the sea and sun—to reduce natural gas consumption, conserve water, and create a comfortable environment for residents, office workers, shoppers, and nightlife seekers, helping to activate the site both day and night," explain the architects. "The canopies also increase interior comfort and building efficiency by filtering daylight, harvesting energy via photovoltaic panels, and capturing rainwater."

For more on this story, go to designboom