This project is designed for the new deep ocean research center for Tsinghua University Graduate School in Shenzhen. The site is located on the eastern end of the main axis of the campus with an area of 2439 square meters. It is right next to the main gate of the University and adjacent to the library of the University Town.

Taking advantages of the block and green area to the south side, we designed a deep-sea theme park as the end of the main axis of the campus, to create an important outdoor public space. Looking through the skylights in the terrain of the landscape, people can have a peek of the activities in the semi-underground pool for experimentation. The entire park becomes an important place to selectively showcase the researches going on in the laboratories.

Ocean Center follows the design philosophy of the vertical campus: lobby, coffee shop, conference center, three study floors, public spaces between each laboratory and adjacent office areas are all connected, forming a continuous semi-outdoor public space for social and academic exchanges. It is an extension of the main axis in the vertical direction, organically incorporated into the deep-sea theme park.

Passive energy saving strategies is well considered in the process of deciding this building’s form, material and façade design. Best suiting the weather of Shenzhen, the building takes the form of a slab with continuous exterior space penetrating the building volume, effectively improving the natural ventilation; According to the different level of exposure to sunlight, each façade takes on a different shading strategy. At the same time, the design incorporates grey water recycle system to keep the building’s water balance and supply water used in the landscape, taking advantage of the necessity of scheduled water change of the huge pool and the fact that Shenzhen has high level of precipitation. For the HVAC system, mechanical mezzanine floors are designed in between each of the laboratory floors, catering to the needs to laboratories while maintaining the flexibility and adaptability of the laboratory spaces.