Set on Shenzhen’s Qianhai Bay, OCT Bao’an is a new, 43-hectare development that activates a 1.2-kilometer stretch of waterfront by integrating nature, culture, and commerce into a single, cohesive environment. With convenient access to public transportation via subway and bus, and world class sports, entertainment, and leisure facilities, OCT Bao’an will be an important public destination for the city and a catalyst for further economic development in the Bao’an District.

The site was conceived as a sprawling green landscape, connected by pedestrian walkways and waterways that unfold throughout the site. Priority was given to open green spaces, engagement with the water, and pedestrian oriented connections that forge a new paradigm for urban development. 

Activities are arranged along a primary east/west axis. A new Urban Business District, encompassing office, residential, retail and hospitality programs, sits at the east end of the site. Rather than oppose the landscape, the commercial structures gently engage the earth. The three-story retail center was designed to appear as a rolling landform with direct connections to the waterfront, and a green roof that encourages visitors to ascend to the lawn above. Beyond the retail center, seven glass towers, housing residential, office, commercial, and hotel spaces, line the edge of the site and serve as a central hub of business activity. To the west, the sprawling Cultural Heritage Park encourages exploration and discovery via the various paths and waterways. The Heritage Park is the center of recreation, and includes a large public plaza, marina, various sports parks, and an on-site bus terminal.