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Cosentino Design Challenge

Cosentino Presents 13th edition of Cosentino Design Challenge

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Cosentino, the leading Spanish global company in the production and distribution of innovative surfaces for the world of architecture and design, launches a call for entries for the Cosentino Design Challenge (CDC), which aims to promote the talent and creativity of future international architecture and design professionals.

Celebrating its thirteenth edition this year, this competition encourages students from all over the world to create sustainable and innovative projects that boast outstanding conceptual and technical quality, with a creative and technical emphasis placed on the topics set for each category.

In the Architecture section, Cosentino advised students to reflect on “Cosentino and water”. In the Design category, the subject is based on “Cosentino and energy”. These represent two passionate proposals in which the company provides students with an unfettered freedom to research and create. They must incorporate one or more of the innovative products that Cosentino offers to the world of architecture and design: the Silestone quartz surface, the ultra-compact Dekton surface and/or the natural stone range with exclusive anti-stain Sensa protection by Cosentino.

On October 8 2018, Cosentino City Madrid hosted the competition presentation with the support of Cosentino company representatives, architecture and design professionals, press specialists, and some teachers/professors from 29 schools and universities of renowned national and international prestige, who actively collaborate in the competition.

In addition, three winners from the previous edition were also awarded the prizes on 8 October. The event culminated in a talk by guest Architect Daniel Rincón de la Vega entitled La vivienda de lujo en Madrid desde 1.900 (The luxury home in Madrid since 1900).

Since 2017, Cosentino has been enjoying their collaboration with their first media partner Experimenta. Through their online and offline platforms, this publication has become a great ally in disseminating and raising awareness of the CDC initiative.

The submission period for final project designs is open until June 1 2019. All submissions have to be submitted via www.cosentinodesignchallenge.org. The jury will deliver their decision on the winning projects on June 2019. Three prizes of €1,000 each for first place winners, including three runner-ups will be awarded for each category.

Thai Designer Wins Dream Spalet Destination Competition 2018 at The 1st LIXIL Spalet Iconic Tour 2018

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LIXIL, a maker of pioneering water and housing products, has appointed the Grande Centre Point Sukhumvit 55 in Bangkok, designed by Mr. Thanawat Sukhaggananda, as the Grand Winner of the DREAM SPALET DESTINATION COMPETITION.

The competition recognises architects and designers who utilised the SPALET – a bidet that merges together the Zen-like SPA experience with the functionalities of a western toilet – in their hospitality projects.

Mr. Thanawat Sukhaggananda, interior designer at the Interior Vision Company Limited, won the first prize for his bathroom design at the Grande Centre Point Sukhumvit 55 in Bangkok. Known as Thailand’s largest Onsen hotel, the pure indulgence at the spa extends to the bathrooms of the hotel rooms and suites.

Inspired by Buddhist philosophy, the restrooms feature American Standard’s Eurozen shower toilet, offering guests a complete personal cleansing experience with spa-like features, much like a personal sanctuary. The experience is not only pleasant for its users, but also for the environment, as the Eurozen’s automatic flushing function can detect the type of flush needed based on the time spent on the toilet, helping save water and reducing the use of tissue paper.

The winner was announced at the gala night of the first-ever LIXIL SPALET ICONIC TOUR, an exclusive gathering of top architects and designers, including the five finalists of the contest, that took place in Nagoya, Japan.

For two days, guests immersed in the world of SPALET in an exclusive itinerary that included a visit to the LIXIL showroom and a stopover at the INAX Museum, where visitors learned about INAX’s unique history as the pioneering brand in SPALET technology.

LIXIL hosted the tour and launched the competition to help more architects and designers derive inspiration on how the SPALET offers limitless possibilities to enrich their hospitality projects in the region.

“This award has encouraged me to develop and take my artwork design to greater heights, I am extremely delighted that the committee has selected my project,” shared the winner of the DREAM SPALET DESTINATION COMPETITION, Mr. Thanawat Sukhaggananda. “My intention was to create an outstanding experience for the users, including comfort, sanitation and water conservation. Today, toilets are not used for cleaning purposes only, water also provides relaxation and freshness, so I thought the SPALET was the most suitable choice for the new standards in the region.”

Mr. Sitthirat Watcharaporn, General Manager of LIXIL Water Technology added: “SPALET products have been designed with full functionalities of automated fixtures to enable users to have a luxury spa experience. The product perfectly responds to the needs of all users, in terms of comfort, ease of use, and cutting edge technologies.

By introducing the SPALET to more architects and designers and showcasing hospitality projects that made full use of them, LIXIL believes that architects and designers will appreciate how limitless design possibilities are so that more lives stand to be benefited, not just in terms of personal hygiene, but more importantly, for our over-all well-being.”

Click here to learn more about SPALET.

Singaporean Students Lauded At National Engineers Day 2018 For Creating Life-Transforming, Smart Solutions

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(images courtesy of the The Institution of Engineers, Singapore – IES)

The National Engineers Day (NED) 2018 event in July 2018 celebrated the best of youthful creativity and passion in making a difference to the society through engineering. Mr. Heng Swee Keat, Minister for Finance presented the Energy Innovation Challenge (EIC) 2018 and the IES Innovation Challenge for the Community 2018 awards to winning students at the NED 2018 Prize Presentation Ceremony as the event guest-of-honour. He also witnessed the launched of the “I am a Young Engineer” Badge.

EIC 2018 Winners
EIC 2018 challenges students to design smart engineering solutions for health, living, mobility and services. This year’s EIC saw 120 teams participating across four categories, compared to only 73 teams in its inaugural year in 2015. This includes 18 overseas teams from Bangladesh, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan and the Philippines for Category 4 (Local and Overseas Universities).

After a networking party in March 2018, participating students from Category 1 to 3 went through a series of workshops and camps that equipped them with design, finance, marketing, logistics management and technical skills to build their solutions. They also had the unique opportunity to be personally guided by professional engineers as mentors over a four-month learning journey.

The judges had shortlisted 80 teams of more than 252 students for the final rounds of judging, whereby participants had to display their projects at NED 2018 from 26 to 28 July, 2018. The four champion teams who eventually emerged are:

  • Category 1 (Secondary Schools): Team (S-24) – River Valley High School – An Eco- Friendly Barbecue Pit System
  • Category 2 (Junior Colleges): Team (J-10) – Dunman High School – Micro Energy Harvesting (μ-EH) and Its Application in Water Desalination under Emergency and Stressed Situation
  • Category 3 (Polytechnics and Institution of Technical Education): Team (I-06) – ITE College West – Robotic Helper FETCH
  • Category 4 (Local and Overseas Universities): Team (U-01) – Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology – Cheap Braille Interface for Ebook Reading

In recognition of their outstanding performance, the top prize winning teams from Categories 1 to 3 will earn an overseas educational trip to be hosted by BMW Group in Germany, while the second, third and merit prize winners will be awarded with $1,000, $700 and $300 respectively. The champions of Category 4 will walk away with an $8,000 cash prize while the second, third and merit prize winners will be awarded $5,000, $3,000 and $1,000 respectively. This year’s popularity prize for all four categories constitutes $300 each.

Jointly organised by IES and Science Centre Singapore, EIC is a nation-wide competition that gives students the opportunity to create solutions that address global energy issues. It is supported by the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the National Research Foundation (NRF) Singapore.

IES Innovation Challenge for the Community 2018
Tertiary students also received awards for applying their engineering knowledge and creativity to design practical, user-friendly solutions to enhance the quality of life of the elderly, the handicapped, the injured and the community-at-large. Participating teams from Category A have to cap their expenditure at $2,000 and demonstrate competence in the optimal use of materials and equipment.

This year’s challenge received a total of 35 project submissions across two categories. After a rigorous round of judging by a panel of academia and industry experts, 14 projects where shortlisted for presentations.

The 2018 Gold Award for polytechnics goes to Chua Chryston and Neo Yizhe from Singapore Polytechnic for building a “dementia patient tracking” using Sigfox, a LPWAN (Low Power Wide Area Network) technology. The tracker periodically transmits its GPS location to a Cloud database and enables the patient’s care-taker to view the location on a Google map via a mobile app. The students hope that the invention can help dementia patients to move about without the fear of getting lost.

In the university category, the Gold Award winner is Subramanian Gowtham from Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) for designing a portable image- based cytometer for rapid malaria detection and quantification. His invention detects and numerically counts Plasmodium falciparum infected red blood cells (iRBCs) from Giemsa- stained smears derived from infected blood. Subramanian’s aim is to provide a cost- effective, rapid and accurate alternative for antimalarial testing without compromising on efficiency.

Launch of “I am a Young Engineer” Badge
IES also launched the “I am a Young Engineer” Badge for primary three to six students at the event, with Minister Heng as witness. This new initiative is a collaborative effort by IES and Science Centre Singapore to encourage students to discover the fun of engineering and instill interest in engineering from a young age.

The badge will provide students with introductory engineering skills and knowledge through self-directed engineering-related tasks listed on the activity card. Students can submit their completed works to their teachers or parents for verification to earn stars that will qualify them for the badge.

The badge is one of the outcomes from the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that IES signed with Science Centre Singapore in 2016 to stimulate interest amongst students in engineering and is sponsored by HDB, PUB, Micron and ST Engineering.

NED 2018
The Prize Presentation Ceremony also marked the conclusion of the ninth annual NED, the largest engineering youth carnival in Singapore, organised by IES to celebrate the achievements of engineers, inspire young engineers and intrigue the young generation in engineering.

Besides EIC 2018, the three-day NED 2018 presented a concentration of talks and workshops to help students discover the wonders of engineering and rapidly growing career opportunities for those with an engineering education and an aptitude to discover, imagine and create.

Lendlease Recognised For Health And Safety Efforts at WSH Awards 2018

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Lendlease continues to be recognised for its exemplary health & safety efforts at the Workplace Safety & Health Council’s Workplace Safety & Health (WSH) Awards 2018. For the third consecutive year, Lendlease’s Retail business is being awarded the WSH Performance (Silver) award. Two construction projects undertaken by Lendlease are also receiving the Safety and Health Award Recognition for Projects (SHARP).

Lendlease’s Retail business manages the malls 313@somerset, Jem and Parkway Parade. While not a sector traditionally associated with workplace safety, Lendlease-managed malls have gone the distance to implement initiatives to keep shoppers safe. For example, the malls’ operations teams regularly engage tenants to raise awareness on fire safety, as well as work with WSHC to bring retailers onboard the bizSAFE journey.

Lendlease’s Head of Environment, Health & Safety, Assurance, Reggie Lim, “We believe everyone has the right to go home safely to their loved ones at the end of the day. As a developer, builder and asset manager, we embrace a proactive and holistic approach to managing risks in relation to design, construction, facilities management and asset management. This includes working closely with all stakeholders within the property value chain to create places with safety as a top priority.”

The two SHARP awards are in recognition of Lendlease’s delivery of two projects for biotech giant Amgen – construction of its Next-Gen Workplace building and expansion of an existing manufacturing facility. Lendlease provided engineering, and project and construction management services on the projects.

Mr Lim added, “As part of our operating culture, Safety, Quality and Excellence in delivery go hand-in-hand. Through the use of integrated digital delivery and tools such as BIM (Building Information Modelling) for design coordination, documentation and sequencing, we are able to improve construction, safety and quality outcomes on projects. Another focal area is workplace traffic safety management, where we put in robust measures to segregate vehicles and pedestrians and keep pedestrians safe on our projects.”

Top Honours Go To 10 Outstanding Projects At IES Engineering Achievement Awards 2018

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(images courtesy of  The Institution of Engineers, Singapore – IES)

One of the winners of the Young Creators Awards

One of the winners of the Young Creators Awards

The Institution of Engineers, Singapore (IES) recently announced the 10 winners of the IES Prestigious Engineering Achievement Awards 2018. The awards celebrate the most outstanding accomplishments of engineers in Singapore in the past year and recognise their significant contributions to stimulating engineering progress and enhancing quality of life in Singapore.

Mr. Heng Chee How, Senior Minister of State for Defence presented the awards to the winning teams at the 12th International Conference on Ceramic Materials and Components for Energy and Environmental Applications (CMCEE 2018) Conference Dinner as the guest-of-honour, in the company of about 400 local and international guests from 46 countries.

The projects emerged from 27 submissions as winners after a rigorous round of judging by a panel of experts. The winning teams have distinguished themselves in resourcefulness in the planning and solving of design problems; pioneering use of materials and methods; innovations in planning, design and construction; and unique aspects and aesthetic values.

Winners from the NUS Faculty of Engineering

Winners from the NUS Faculty of Engineering

“Through the awards, IES hopes to raise greater awareness of the contributions of engineers to our society and economy and to inspire the younger generation to consider engineering as the preferred career choice. We also hope that the awards will spur the winning teams to advance their work to the next level of excellence,” said Prof Yeoh Lean Weng, IES President. The 2018 awards winners are:

Applied Research and Development

  • 4-IN-1 Smart Utilities Plant tailored for tropics by National University of Singapore (NUS) & King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
  • Automated Needle Targeting with Medical Image Robotic Assisted Guidance Equipment (ANT-MIRAGE) by NDR Medical Technology Pte Ltd
  • Bulk photovoltaics and unique UV sensors from bulk photovoltaics by Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE), a research institute under the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)
  • Low Motion Semi: A next-generation revolutionary semisubmersible by Keppel-NUS Corporate Laboratory
  • Renewable air filters from regenerating molecular building blocks by NUS Faculty of Engineering

Engineering Project

  • National Gallery Singapore by CPG Consultants Pte Ltd
  • Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled on-demand lighting for the Smart Nation by Housing & Development Board and ST Engineering

Technology Innovation

  • Soft hybrid surgical gripper for delicate tissue manipulation by NUS Faculty of Engineering

Young Creators Award

  • A 16-channel capacitive sensor interface circuits for physical signals monitoring by NUS Faculty of Engineering
  • Mars Science Space Rover by Nanyang Polytechnic.

The top projects will move on to receive the ASEAN Outstanding Engineering Achievement Award, a coveted accolade for engineering professionals and organisations in the region.

Four Atkins’ Architecture Designs Scoop Asia Pacific Property Awards

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Four Atkins-designed architectural projects were under the spotlight at the Asia Pacific Property Awards 2018. The recently opened Ocean Empire in Xiamen won “Best Hotel Architecture China”, the Huarong Tower in Zhuhai won “Best Mixed-use Architecture China”, the Cocobay Twin Towers in Danang won “Best Commercial High-rise Architecture Vietnam”, and the Belleville Park was honored an award winner in the “Architecture Multiple Residence India” category.

The Asia Pacific Property Awards, as part of the International Property Awards, are the largest, most prestigious, and widely recognised programme throughout the region. They celebrate the highest levels of achievement by companies operating in all sectors of the property and real estate industry. SNC-Lavalin acquired WS Atkins plc on July 3, 2017.

Bertil de Kleynen, Sector Director for architecture, planning, landscape and interiors at SNC-Lavalin’s Atkins Business in Asia Pacific, represented Atkins at the award ceremony in Bangkok. He said: “It’s a great pleasure to receive four prestigious awards on behalf of Atkins’ passionate architects and their endless efforts to design award winning projects that not only enhance value for our clients’ investment but also raise their profile at national and international scale”

Ocean Empire, Huarong Tower and Cocobay Twin Towers are nominated to compete with other national winners for Asia Pacific’s Best. The result will be announced at the International Property Awards ceremony in December 2018.

Atkins is no stranger on the stage of Asia Pacific Property Awards and International Property Awards. The 460-metre supertall Landmark 81 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, was crowned “World’s Best Architecture” at the International Property Awards 2017 held in London. It also picked up “Best International Residential High-rise Architecture

Hamad International Airport Ranked 5th Best Airport In The World By Skytrax World Airport Awards 2018

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Hamad International Airport has been ranked the 5th best airport in the world at the SKYTRAX World Airport Awards 2018, which took place during the Passenger Terminal Expo 2018 in Stockholm, Sweden. HIA has also been honoured with the title of ‘Best Airport in the Middle East’ for the fourth year in a row and ‘Best Staff Service in the Middle East’ for the third year in a row.

The award recognises HIA’s innovative facilities, five-star customer service and state-of-the-art terminal which can accommodate more than 30 million passengers annually. The terminal has been described as the most architecturally significant terminal complex in the world, as well as being the most luxurious.

Commenting on the results of the Skytrax World Airport Awards, Engr. Badr Mohammed Al Meer, Chief Operating Officer at Hamad International Airport stated: “HIA sets itself apart from other airports with its optimised passenger journey, unmatched retail offering, five-star customer service, punctuality, cleanliness, iconic architecture and unique art programme, making the airport a destination on its own. These Skytrax results mark yet another milestone in HIA’s journey in solidifying its position as one of the world’s best airports. We are grateful to our passengers who gave us their trust and endorsement during the voting process.

Mr. Al Meer continued: “In spite of the challenging situation in the region, HIA succeeded in proving its resiliency by maintaining 5 Star passenger’ experience, and smooth operations.

As we are gearing up to welcome more than 50 million travellers by 2022, we will continue to invest in our facilities, services and the newest technologies to provide a world-class passenger experience.”

The Skytrax World Airport Awards are a global benchmark of airport excellence, based on 12.85 million customer nominations across 110 nationalities of air travellers, and include 410 airports worldwide. The survey evaluates customer satisfaction across 39 key performance indicators for airport service and product – from check-in, arrivals, transfers, shopping, security and immigration, through to departure at the gate.

HIA – The Gateway to Qatar and to the World
Positioned at the edge of the Arabian Gulf, Hamad International Airport’s tranquil waterside setting provides a perfect backdrop for its stylish architectural elements, underpinned by advanced airport systems in line with its ‘Smart Airport’ vision.

Operating 24/7, the airport features two runways, a state-of-the-art air traffic control tower and currently processes 30 million passengers per year and 360,00 aircrafts per year. With over 40,000 square meters of combined retail, food and beverage facilities, unmatched spa facilities and a collection of unique art pieces from internationally acclaimed artists, HIA is a destination on its own, designed for the modern traveller.

C&W Services Singapore Wins Big at Singapore Facility Management Awards 2017

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C&W Services Singapore was named Best Facility Management (FM) Service Provider of the Year for the second year running at the recent Singapore Facility Management (FM) Awards 2017. It also scooped the Singapore FM Service Provider Award for Innovation Excellence.

The awards ceremony was held on October 4, 2017 in conjunction with the fifth International Facility Management Expo 2017 and the fourth International Facility Management Conference 2017. The event was co-organised by the Singapore Chapter of the International Facility Management Association and Conference & Exhibition Management Services.

The Best FM Service Provider of the Year award is considered the highest industry accolade in Singapore. C&W Services Singapore was awarded the prize for the successful introduction of a food waste digester system. This has enhanced site-recycling efforts and reduced long-term waste disposal costs, in line with the Singapore government’s drive for a smarter, more sustainable nation.

The Innovation Excellence award was awarded for the successful implementation of mobile cameras with two-way voice communication accessible via a cell phone, as well as drones that provide a bird’s eye view of the estate that we manage. This system addresses illegal dumping, encroachment and parking issues commonly faced by our tenants. The implementation of these solutions has helped to improve the estate environment and image. Since the implementation, there has been a reduction in the number illegal dumping cases within the estate.

“Winning these two coveted awards is attributed to our innovative solutions that address our customers’ complex challenges while delivering excellent services. It’s an honour to be recognised as the industry leader in facility management services and I am very proud of our teams that serve our customers,” said Jun Sochi, Managing Director, C&W Services Singapore.

 The Singapore FM Awards recognise those who have made significant contributions to the knowledge, practical application and sustainable performance of Singapore’s FM industry. The awards promote industry excellence, encourage innovation and recognise the professionalism of facility managers among their industry peers as well as in the building and real estate sectors.

Bentley Announces Finalists in 2017 Be Inspired Awards Programme

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Bentley Systems, Incorporated, a leading global provider of comprehensive software solutions for advancing infrastructure, today announced the finalists in the 2017 Be Inspired Awards programme. The annual awards honour the extraordinary work of Bentley users advancing infrastructure design, construction, and operations throughout the world. Ten independent jury panels comprising distinguished industry experts selected the 51 finalists from more than 400 nominations submitted by organisations in more than 50 countries.

The finalists will present their innovative projects to their peers, the jurors, industry thought leaders, and more than 120 members of the media as part of related infrastructure forums at The Year in Infrastructure 2017 Conference, October 10 to 12, 2017 in Singapore at the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre.

This gathering of leading professionals in the world of infrastructure design, construction, and operations will feature:

  • Thought-provoking keynotes by Bentley senior executives and prominent industry thought leaders
  • Live technology presentations from Bentley’s alliance partners – Microsoft, Siemens, Bureau Veritas, and Topcon
  • Opportunities for attendees to meet and have one-on-one discussions with awards finalists
  • Informative industry forums and panel discussions featuring speakers from Microsoft, Siemens, Bureau Veritas, Australia Road Research Board, Applied Research & Associates, Building and Construction Authority of Singapore, and more
  • Be Inspired Awards finalists’ presentations on October 10 and 11, 2017
  • Evening ceremony and gala featuring announcement of the Be Inspired Awards winners on October 12, 2017

The Year in Infrastructure 2017 Conference is an ideal opportunity for management-level executives in engineering firms, architecture firms, construction companies, and government or owner-operator organisations responsible for the design, delivery, and/or operations of infrastructure to share best practices and meet infrastructure professionals from around the world. All those who submitted a nomination in the Be Inspired Awards programme are also invited to attend.

Bentley Systems Chief Communications Officer Chris Barron said, “The Year in Infrastructure Conference is a one-of-a-kind networking and learning experience for infrastructure leaders from around the world. This year we have an unprecedented number of participants for the Be Inspired programme, and are pleased to congratulate and acknowledge all of the participants for their excellent work and inspiring projects. Conference attendees will have the chance to meet the awards finalists, and see them present their projects, which represent this year’s most outstanding BIM advancements in global infrastructure.”

This year’s conference will be held for the first time in Singapore at the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre, one of the most iconic buildings in Asia. The structural design of Marina Bay Sands was done by Arup and was Bentley’s 2010 Be Inspired Award winner for Innovation in Structural Engineering.

Mike Lee, vice president of sales, Marina Bay Sands, said, “Marina Bay Sands is honoured to be the chosen venue for Bentley Systems’ first-to-Singapore conference. Our relationship with Bentley dates back to our construction days, as our iconic building was structurally engineered using Bentley Systems software. We look forward to welcoming Bentley and its delegates to our integrated resort to experience its multitude of business, leisure, and dining offerings under one roof.”

Click HERE to read more about the award finalists, conference speakers, supporting partners and more.

Laguarda.Low Architects Awarded for Oct Bao’an Waterfront Development

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New York City-based Laguarda.Low Architects has been awarded first prize in an international competition conducted by OCT Group for the design of OCT Bao‘an, a new large-scale planned waterfront development in Shenzhen’s Bao‘an district in China. With stunning views of Qianhai Bay, Laguarda.Low’s master plan and design encompasses a 128-acre site and creates dynamic spaces for business, retail and entertainment.

As both Master Planner and Master Architect for the project, and in collaboration with renowned landscape design firm SWA, the Laguarda.Low Architects’ design integrates nature, recreation and culture into a new urban setting. The site is divided into four primary zones, connected by pedestrian paths, integrated waterscapes, and landscaped promenades. The four zones include a new Urban Business District, a multi-level Retail Park, a Culture Heritage Park and a Book Market.

“We are very proud to have been selected to design such a dynamic development that will incorporate the Laguarda.Low vision for this location,” states John Low, Principal of Laguarda.Low. “OCT Bao’an is an outstanding development and we’re confident that this project will complement the evolving neighbourhood in one of China’s most important cities.”

Laguarda.Low’s plan positions a multi-level retail village at the centre of the site, surrounded by four residential towers to the northeast; three office towers to the southeast; a hotel to the south; an indoor mall to the west; and a new performance hall and an exhibition facility to the north, across from the city’s green belt. A central loop connects the various zones and provides access to parking below.

At the south end of the site, the Urban Business District includes seven 13-storey office buildings and a 13-storey hotel. The tiered glass structures feature landscaped terraces and green roofs that collect rainwater and limit solar heat gain. The office buildings serve as a captivating backdrop to the waterfront development and frame the sloping, landscaped-formed retail park to the east, providing direct access to the waterfront. Large domed skylights merge the line between indoor and outdoor spaces. The four-story design elevates the traditional shopping experience with expansive natural light, dynamic circulation and expansive green spaces.

At the north end of the site, the Cultural Heritage Park provides numerous options for leisure and entertainment, including a retail centre and pedestrian paths leading to an open-air plaza and a performing arts centre next door. Water serves as a key element of the design by separating the various aquatic activities and creating a sense of discovery among spaces where visitors can explore the waterfront promenade and excursion boats, as well as a new Cultural Heritage Centre, X Sports Park, playground, food and beverage garden, and performance amphitheatre.

The Book Market is situated on the eastern parcel of the site, adjacent to a new library and youth centre. The subterranean space houses a multi-level bookstore and food hall with direct connections to the subway and the neighbouring youth facilities. Above the structure is a landscaped park that surrounds a dramatic skylight and space to appreciate the natural beauty and tranquillity of the outdoors.

“Our firm is honoured to again be working with OCT Group, and add to their impressive roster of 21st century developments,” said Pablo Laguarda, Principal of Laguarda.Low. “We are dedicated to contributing the highest quality design to Shenzhen’s growing business and entertainment districts, and OCT Bao’an will showcase our shared passion for design that does the utmost to enhance the surrounding environment.”

The spectacular waterfront site sits 13 miles west of Shenzhen’s city center and is less than an hour drive from Hong Kong. The development also includes two subway stations on Shenzhen’s Huangzhong Line (Line 5), making the area prime for development.