SOM's design for Jiuzhou Bay—a new mixed-use neighborhood located along the Pearl River Delta in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province—will transform the waterfront of the Greater Bay Area’s burgeoning tech hub and create a blueprint for future development in China. The low-carbon community takes its inspiration from the region's maritime history and will feature offices, residences, retail spaces, and infrastructure for the city's new residents and visitors.

SOM was selected from a shortlist of 10 global designer firms to design the new 5.6 million-square-foot mixed-use development. The concept contains plans for an expansive transportation hub that will offer connectivity to land, sea, and rail across 40 acres.

Five modular canopies make up a core element of the design, enclosing three sides of the 1.8 million-square-foot port. "The forms of the canopies are inspired by the local legend of the Fisher Girl and reflect the fishing nets commonly seen on the coastline throughout the region," said SOM Design Director Sean Ragasa in a statement. "We wanted our design to resonate with the culture and history of Zhuhai, and to evoke a story that’s familiar to everyone who lives there."

The canopies also increase interior habitability and building efficiency by filtering daylight, harvesting energy via photovoltaic panels, and capturing rainwater.

A 1,045-foot-tall tower, inspired by the form of a lighthouse Fresnel lens, will establish an anchoring focal point at the heart of the development. The tower will be comprised of 35 floors of office space topped by a 20-story Ritz-Carlton Hotel with a skybar and observation deck.