Conceived as a 'micro city' within Qianhai - Shenzhen’s rapidly expanding central business district – the CMG Qianhai Global Trade Center has broken ground. The project led by OMA partner Chris van Duijn will be 'a tower, a cluster, a neighbourhood and a city’ upon completion.

Comprising two main towers connected by a skybridge and a cube-shaped building suspended over the podium, the design for the 360,000 sqm mixed-use development was unveiled by Duijn at the inauguration ceremony for Qianhai Significant Projects in Shenzhen, China.

Qianhai sits along the coast of the Pearl River Delta, between the Qianhai Bay to the north and the Nanshan Mountains to the south. Seeing increasing developments in the recent years, it is focused on becoming the epicentre of innovation in the Greater Bay area. Currently the district is characterised by seemingly identical high-rise buildings connected via an infrastructural network – one which is rather detached from the urban context. OMA’s aim with the center is to challenge these traditional boundaries.

The project is envisioned as a transit-oriented development in the local neighbourhood of Ma Wan. The site sits on the cross over between two main roads and three metro lines, as well as a nearby bus terminal.

A collection of slender volumes cascading down gives shape to the two towers of the project. "The lower volumes of the main towers will respond to the urban scale of its immediate surroundings including the Silk Road Corridor, a major public park in the area,” says the architectural firm.

A skybridge connecting these towers offers itself as a public cultural platform and a viewing deck overseeing the city. It will accommodate gardens, art installations and public gatherings. Said to be the most prominent feature of the building that points towards the Qianhai Bay and the Nanshan Mountains, the sculptural bridge will respond to the urban scale of its immediate surroundings.

"A three-dimensional trajectory will tie all public and private programs together, allowing accessibility on all levels,” adds OMA.

A cube hovering over the podium will facilitate a visual connection between the building and the Silk Road Corridor while roof terraces carved off the cascading volumes will function as extensions to the park.

The CMG Qianhai Global Trade Center is positioned as a landmark project in line with the future aspirations of Qianhai. The project, which is currently under construction, is slated for completion in 2024.