Having been founded by the designer of China’s CCTV, Büro Ole Scheeren has never been content to create drab, boring office buildings. Its latest project, named Shenzhen Wave, once again breaks the mold and will rise to a height of 60 m (196 ft) and be topped by a large bulging area that hosts a greenery-filled leisure space inside.

Shenzhen Wave will serve as a new headquarters for Chinese telecommunications company ZTE and will be part of the larger Shenzhen Bay Super HQ District development on the bustling megacity’s waterfront.

Visitors will enter into the “Lobby Node” at ground level. Most of the available floorspace will be given over to office space, dubbed the “Work Stack.” Flexibility will be a main focus here, and each office is designed so it can be sub-divided, altered, and reconfigured, depending on requirements. Outdoor terrace areas on each level will also be available in an attempt to foster a healthy working environment.

Büro Ole Scheeren

The uppermost area will be called the “Club Node” and include significant amounts of greenery, as well as a gym, cafe and bar, plus other areas for socializing. It will connect to an adjacent rooftop deck and will also be linked to the ground floor lobby with a light-filled atrium that connects to each level.

“A sinuous diagonal ‘Wave’ cuts through the building and links its multiple levels, lifting the structure off the ground and cresting up through the roof,” explains Büro Ole Scheeren. “This key element becomes an open and experiential pathway through the building for light, views and circulation, encouraging spontaneous encounters between users throughout the structure. The spatial organization of the building both physically embodies and simultaneously amplifies the company’s culture of interaction and innovation.”

Additionally, as the building will be raised on supports, it will create a space for a public plaza below, which will connect to the nearby waterfront. An amphitheater will be nearby and a “Culture Node” will feature an exhibition space and cafeteria.

Büro Ole Scheeren

Shenzhen Wave has already received planning permission to go ahead, though there’s no word yet on when construction is expected to begin. Notwithstanding official Chinese orders, the city continues to grow at an astonishing pace, with 15 skyscrapers over 200 m (656 ft) completed in 2019 alone.

Source: Büro Ole Scheeren