Horizontal Skyscraper – Vanke Center, Groundscraper in Dameisha, Shenzhen, China.
The Vanke Center is a horizontal structure in Shenzhen that extends across a tropical garden landscape, supported by eight massive cores. The complex houses offices, apartments, a hotel, restaurants, an auditorium, and parking areas, all connected by pathways that run the length of the building.
The building was completed in 2009 by Steven Holl Architects, using cable-stay bridge technology combined with reinforced concrete construction. This approach was a fresh take on creating large horizontal structures in China.
The building creates spaces where people naturally gather, with public areas and gardens flowing beneath its form. This open design shapes how visitors and workers experience the place, reflecting current ideas about community in urban Shenzhen.
The site is open to the public and best explored on foot, as the long structure invites walking through all its sections. The tropical gardens along the way offer places to pause while visiting different areas.
The building stretches about as long as the Empire State Building if laid on its side, and features sunken glass cubes called Shenzhen Windows. These windows offer unexpected views down into the gardens below and create a fresh way to see the landscape.
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