SOM Wins Competition to Design Gateway Innovation Campus for Shenzhen-Hong Kong Zone
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill’s proposal will shape a landmark research and collaboration gateway within the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong innovation cooperation zone in the Greater Bay Area
The global architectural practice Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) has been selected to design a major landmark gateway research and innovation campus at the Shenzhen-Hong Kong border within the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone.
SOM’s design, developed jointly with China Architecture Design & Research Group, won first place in an international competition, marking a significant step toward realising the region’s vision of enhanced cross-border cooperation in science, technology and economic development.
The innovation cooperation zone was created under national and regional development strategies to foster deep collaboration across the Shenzhen River, integrating research, development and pilot production facilities that will serve enterprises and researchers from both sides of the border.
In its winning proposal, SOM emphasised a gateway concept that blends advanced research infrastructure with public, ecological and collaborative spaces.
The design — titled “A Valley Within the Machine” — aims to create an environment that supports frontier scientific exploration, incubates key technologies and elevates the role of the Greater Bay Area as a global innovation hub.
Outdoor spaces celebrating renewal and nature are integrated into the built environment to promote wellness and social interaction alongside high-performance research facilities.
The project is positioned as a catalyst for broader regional development, reinforcing Shenzhen’s role as a leading technology centre and Hong Kong’s function as an international research and commercial gateway.
It underscores a commitment to innovative planning that accommodates sustainable growth, cross-border talent mobility and world-class scientific collaboration within the innovation zone’s strategic framework.
SOM’s design, developed jointly with China Architecture Design & Research Group, won first place in an international competition, marking a significant step toward realising the region’s vision of enhanced cross-border cooperation in science, technology and economic development.
The innovation cooperation zone was created under national and regional development strategies to foster deep collaboration across the Shenzhen River, integrating research, development and pilot production facilities that will serve enterprises and researchers from both sides of the border.
In its winning proposal, SOM emphasised a gateway concept that blends advanced research infrastructure with public, ecological and collaborative spaces.
The design — titled “A Valley Within the Machine” — aims to create an environment that supports frontier scientific exploration, incubates key technologies and elevates the role of the Greater Bay Area as a global innovation hub.
Outdoor spaces celebrating renewal and nature are integrated into the built environment to promote wellness and social interaction alongside high-performance research facilities.
The project is positioned as a catalyst for broader regional development, reinforcing Shenzhen’s role as a leading technology centre and Hong Kong’s function as an international research and commercial gateway.
It underscores a commitment to innovative planning that accommodates sustainable growth, cross-border talent mobility and world-class scientific collaboration within the innovation zone’s strategic framework.
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