Shenzhen Eye

Shenzhen Eye is the name of our competition proposal for a major mobility project in the western coastal area of Shenzhen, passing the city’s Qianhai District and the Bao’an District. The proposal includes the layout for an artificial island on the top of a tunnel crossing as well as the vision for a place to explore, relax and sense botany and culture.

A disc structure floating above the water

Our proposed disc structure looks like it flows above the water while it changes expression during day and night, summer and winter. The concentric roads all point towards the island and make it visible from both the shore and the surrounding buildings. We saw this 360 degrees appearance as a need for a simple shape, which could be perceived evenly beautiful from all sides and during day and night.

Shenzhen Eye is meant to be magnificent to view from both the seaside, the shoreline of the Qianhai bay line and when approaching Shenzhen or Guangzhou airports by airplane. To visit the island you would have to go by boat and thus embrace a slow form of transportation and prepare yourself for a calm, green and sensuous experience on the island.

An urban refuge

In the dome at the main entrance, the sunlight is being filtered by the structural pattern of the roof. The height of the dome allows large trees and palms inside the botanical garden and there is a vast variety of thousands of different plants and species. The impression is quiet and relaxed and the temperature is pleasant. The rippling water from the central pond and the birds chirping ads to the calm atmosphere.

From the upper ring inside the building is a view towards the city while at the same time guests can gaze out to the large garden.