Tencent plans futuristic neighbourhood in Shenzhen inspired by the internet’s distributed network
- The planned 132.6-hectare Net City in Shenzhen’s Dachanwan port area is slated to start construction by the end of this year
- With tech companies wielding increasing influence globally, many are making their mark physically on the urban landscape with sprawling projects
Fittingly, Tencent’s ambitious new urban development project pays tribute to its roots. The planned 132.6-hectare Net City in Shenzhen’s Dachanwan port area, slated to start construction by the end of this year, is designed to reflect the “distributed network of the internet itself”, according to Jonathan Ward, a design partner at Seattle-based architectural firm NBBJ, the designers for the project.
“A typical city calls for simplistic and efficient zoning to keep everything under strict control and facilitate the flow of goods, cars and people,” Ward said.
“This principle was driven by a love for the industrial age machine. In today’s computer-driven world, we are free to imagine a highly integrated city that brings ‘work, live, play’ closer together to foster more synergy between people.”
Net City features 200 hectares of building space, including a new Tencent office building at its heart, living areas, schools, retail stores, parks and public transport among other amenities, according to NBBJ.
Tencent did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
With tech companies wielding increasing influence globally, many are making their mark physically on the urban landscape with sprawling projects that go beyond just workspaces.
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In the US, the headquarters of Silicon Valley tech giants look like scaled down models of smart cities, with many focusing on eco-friendly or sustainable features.
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China’s largest tech companies have also been launching ambitious urban development projects in recent years. Telecommunications behemoth Huawei’s lakeside Ox Horn Campus in Dongguan city, Guangdong province, replicates landmarks from 12 European cities with a 7.8km (4.8-mile) commuter rail system connecting buildings across a 127-hectare (314-acre) site.
Tencent’s planned new development is even larger, and like many Silicon Valley campuses, aims to integrate eco-friendly features into its design.
Net City’s designers fundamentally aim to create a city that is “less car-oriented and more people-oriented”, Ward said in an interview.
“The master plan for Net City is human-centric, where the buildings, blocks and open spaces are made for humans without the distraction of motor vehicles and the noise, pollution and speed that comes with them,” NBBJ said in a press release.
Car access will be limited, with some zones reserved for low-speed driving. A green corridor connecting all areas in the development aims to help pedestrians, bicycles and autonomous vehicles move around conveniently, NBBJ added.
The design firm said sustainability is a “primary driver” of the overall design, which includes solar panels on rooftops and sensors that track environmental performance and flooding. It will also include features to collect water on campus, managing run-off and flooding, and mangrove trees – natural storm barriers – will be planted at the shoreline’s edge, according to NBBJ.
Unlike many other tech campuses where most spaces are open only to employees, Net City’s commercial, transport and entertainment areas will be open to the public.
“It is not an ivory island out in the ocean, it's a vibrant part of the Shenzhen network of connectivity,” Ward said. “[Net City is] still high security where it needs to be, but it's part of the community.”
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As it expands, Tencent faces the challenge of finding space to house its swelling workforce. The company had 62,885 employees by the end of 2019, more than eight times the figure a decade before, according to Tencent’s annual reports.
NBBJ also designed Seafront Towers, a 250-meter-tall skyscraper that can hold 12,000 employees and which includes an indoor rock-climbing wall, a badminton court and a full-sized basketball court. The architectural firm said Net City is designed to accommodate 80,000 people, although it did not provide a breakdown of the proportion of office workers, residents or visitors this is expected to include.
The “vast majority” of construction for the project is expected to be completed within seven years, Ward said.