News: architecture firm Farrells has won a competition to masterplan two major commercial sites in the growing Qianhai special economic zone in Shenzhen, China, with plans that include a 320-metre skyscraper.
The firm led by British architect Terry Farrell will oversee the development of two key sites surrounding the Qianhaiwan metro station, which are expected to play a key role in boosting cross-border trade between Shenzhen and Hong Kong.
The first of the two masterplans will provide over 460,000 square-metres of commercial floorspace, including offices, shops, serviced apartments and luxury homes. A 320-metre skyscraper will be built as part of the proposals, alongside a pair of 185-metre gateway towers.
Terry Farrell said: "This project represents a great opportunity to bring sustainable design principles to this dynamic and rapidly expanding part of Shenzhen."
"The proximity of the area to Hong Kong is important and Qianhai will benefit from cross border trade to soon become a thriving district in its own right," he added.
Farrell set up offices in Hong Kong and Shanghai following a growing workload in Asia that began with the Peak Tower in the early 1990s. The architect completed Shenzhen's tallest building in 2011 - the 442-metre Kingkey 100 skyscraper.
