Shekou: New Modes of Development

Abstract

A striking aspect of China’s recent modernization and urbanization has been a high rate of obsolescence, and redevelopment and renewal have become an increasingly large part of China’s developmental agenda.

Aiming at the Shekou Industrial District in Shenzhen, one of the earliest excursions into modern industrial and urban development since 1978, the issue to be confronted in our studio is how should Skekou District comport itself and be reconfigured to best leverage the obsolescence rate of the plant sites and other facilities while undergoing new development.

The concept of our project is to position the Shekou Peninsula as the link between Qianhai and Shenzhen by gradually adapting and transforming the existing fabric. The design targets the obsolescence through a highly programmatically mixed urban fabric, an overlap of districts, various urban anchors, dynamic transitions and most importantly, the dethematazation of the current urban planning trends. The new Shekou Peninsula will serve not only as an amenity for Shenzhen and Qianhai but also a destination for Hong Kong and the new towns developing across Shenzhen Bay.

Keywords

Obsolescence / Dethematazation / Organic Grids / Shekou / Phasing / Post Industrial Redevelopment

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Higher Education Press