Shenzhen Skypark

Crossboundaries

Short description

Through a 5 year long process, the once unused and visually unattractive rooftop of the south terminal and depot for the metro line 2 in Nanshan, Shenzhen, underwent a transformation into what is now a vital landmark in the neighboring area.
The key feature of the project is the revitalization of a previously unused roof space of an infrastructural building in a densely populated bay area. The original 1.2km long rooftop of the depot and maintenance building allows for the design to shine through as a park that floats above street level.
The existing structure with its roof surface eliminated the abundant conventional construction work that would typically be needed to create such a space. Through the design process, the integration of access points was considered, ensuring the reachability of the neighboring communities.
The balance and interplay between functional activities and recreational spaces form a sport and leisure oasis for the neighborhood, which is perceived as a comfortable and visually pleasing urban park.
Aside from the standard dimensioned sports facilities, around 65% of the park is dedicated to reintroduce greenery into the neighborhood, with large grass patches, a variety of plants, and trees to give back to the surrounding community. The pathways of the park are distinguished by material, the leisure trail is mostly covered with timber, leading users through a refreshing landscape, accompanied with opportunities for seating to take in the atmosphere or to spectate the diverse sports activities. The previously separating infrastructure has become a new accessible and visual connection and the sealed surface has become an urban lung for the city.
3 specific user groups were identified as beneficiaries of the new project development - the general public, local professional sports clubs (tennis and volleyball in particular), as well as 3 educational institutions: the Shenzhen Nanshan Foreign Language School and the Shenzhen Bay School, which composes of an Elementary and a Junior High program.
The site provides multiple entrances catered towards a varying group of people. Direct vertical entrances are situated on the north and south ends of the park, each with public transport and vehicle parking, welcoming visitors that arrive on any form of travel. Alternatively, connections are formed with the school building on the west side through elevated walkways, providing direct access to the facilities within the park for the students throughout their day. Through the diverse means of access, the park gathers people with diverse routines and habits to one large activity platform where they get to share their interests and stories.
With the initiation to develop such a large scaled sports and recreational park rooftop, the project also created an essential meeting point in Shenzhen that enhances social and cultural interaction between different groups of Shenzhen’s diverse urban population.
The project succeeds in fulfilling its educational mandate and advocates for sports and wellness in general, as well as reintroducing a large-scale green area, in a densely populated urban space. It makes a statement as a part of an ecological renewal within the bay area and functions as a component of the reconnection between the urban fabric and its natural resources.