• Project: Shenzhen Women & Children’s Centre, Shenzhen, China
• Architects: MVRDV
• Area: 57900 m?
• Year of completion: 2023
• Photography: Xia Zhi
  

Shenzhen Women & Children’s Centre by MVRDV Architects is a gravitating piece of architecture that changes how we see old and worn-out buildings. It is perhaps a striking example of Adaptive Reuse proving that renovating a building without its complete demolition is the right way to treat a building if it is past its prime age.? The original tower was built in 1994, but the plinth-level outlets were never used till 2002 due to rampant fire safety concerns, while the tower itself was unused forever. The original design clearly shows its flows, and its rushed approach to design and construction led to its abandonment.

By 2019, it was clear that the building no longer fit the bill as it fell short of the environmental requirements and the changing needs of the users. The building was chosen as one of 24 model examples of revitalisation by the National Development and Reform Commission because of China’s commitment to reaching a carbon peak by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060. MVRDV transformed what seemed like an unusable building into a skyscraper that functioned as a hotel and a maternal health services and children?s healthcare centre which hosted a wide range of facilities like an auditorium, a library, a children?s theatre and ?discovery hall?, as well as therapy rooms and offices for staff.

?Our design for the Shenzhen Women & Children?s Centre shows what is possible in these buildings that are reaching the end of a fairly short initial lifespan?, says MVRDV founding partner Jacob van Rijs. ?Retaining and improving a building is more sustainable than demolishing and building anew, and that is especially true when the building contains as much concrete as this one, a 100-metre tower with a voluminous plinth at its base.?

MVRDV designed a new fa?ade, which is the most visible renovation in the building. The Shenzhen Women’s centre facade features a muted colour palette of yellow, pink, orange and green that is apt owing to the pediatric care function of the building. The new fa?ade consists of a multicoloured grid that is about one meter deep. These frames have additional shade to lessen thermal heat gain and openable panels inside to let in natural ventilation, which improves occupant comfort and lessens the need for air conditioning in the structure.

Almost 24,000 cubic meters of concrete from the original construction was repurposed and the building was transformed for accommodating Shenzhen?s family wellness centre. Carbon emissions equal to 11,800 flights from Amsterdam to Shenzhen were reduced by doing so. To generate straightforward, functional floorplans, minor structural improvements were also made to fill in some of the difficult geometry from the original design.

The tower functions as a hotel with a crown at the top of it functioning as a terrace, and the plinth-level structures contain Shenzhen women?s support services and a courtyard. The courtyard was designated for car parking in its original design, but it was converted to a barrier-free courtyard with a food court. The crown nestles under it a terrace that offers 3600 panoramic views of the neighbourhood around it. One of the most identifiable symbols of Shenzhen will be the tower crown, even from a distance.

The plinth’s rooftops are utilized for lush outdoor areas, with one side of the structure serving as a venue for events and the other as a kid-friendly learning playground. Strong connections exist between the courtyard and roofs, and there is a slide to add excitement to exploring the structure and new exterior staircases to facilitate easy travel between the two. The city’s metro entrance has been relocated inside the building to improve connectivity to public transportation systems and support the shift away from reliance on cars. Previously, it was cluttered on the pavement outside.

The colour palette also follows the two main lobbies, and it is designed in a playful manner. One lobby is dedicated to the tower and the other one is used for the women and children?s centre. A vibrant vertical puzzle in the tower lobby contains kid-friendly educational and entertainment options. The women’s and children’s lobby has a more serene ambience with muted colours, and the shelves’ apertures show off entertaining elements meant to spark a kid’s curiosity. The design incorporates a 200-seat theatre, in addition to the rooftop event area to transform the building into a knowledge-sharing hub.

Shenzhen has grown more quickly than virtually any other city in the world since it was designated as a Special Economic Zone in the 1980s. Many of the structures built during this expansion are approaching the end of their original lifespan, having put the pressing requirements of the time ahead of future planning. Thus, the Shenzhen Women & Children’s Center offers a sneak peek at a potential new trend in the city.

In addition to being a welcome sight in Shenzhen’s Futian district with its vibrant facade, the building?which rises to a height of 100 meters?also establishes a significant precedent for building reuse in a city that is about to experience a “great wave of adaptive reuse.”

Sources

• Shenzhen Women & Children?s Center / MVRDV, Archdaily
• MVRDV transforms Shenzhen skyscraper into colourful women and children’s centre, Dezeen
• Shenzhen Women & Children’s Centre, Archello
• Shenzhen Women & Children?s Centre, Futurarc
• MVRDV converts mixed-use tower into multicolored women & children’s center in Shenzhen, Designboom