Sou Fujimoto Architects has unveiled their design for the Shenzhen Reform and Opening-Up Exhibition Hall. Designed in collaboration with Donghua Chen Studio, the exhibition hall is imagined as “gardens within a box” with a village-like indoor space cloaked underneath a multi-layered transparent façade.

The 90,000-square-meter complex is intended as a “window” into Shenzhen, displaying and publicizing the city’s achievements over recent decades. The exhibition hall will serve many roles: a site welcoming guests to the city, an institution collecting research materials, a landmark to signify Shenzhen’s innovative and international brand, and a carrier for the showcasing of Shenzhen’s culture and people.

“The natural elegance of the project emphasizes the harmonious relationship between the landscape and its surrounding context, which creates a humble appearance with a village-like fascinating indoor space,” says the design team. “The entire building can be understood as gardens within a box. The openness and transparency of the building also echoes the theme of reform and opening-up. Meanwhile, the multilayered façade system provides a variety of spatial expressions within the changing light.”

The project is the latest in a line of recent high-profile developments in Shenzhen. Last week, SANAA unveiled images of their Shenzhen Maritime Museum, winning an international competition among major firms including Sou Fujimoto Architects. Last month, meanwhile, Grimshaw unveiled their mango tree-inspired design for Shenzhen’s international airport and transport hub.

Zaha Hadid Architects have also unveiled two recent projects for the Chinese megacity: their competition-winning Tower C at the Shenzhen Bay Super Headquarters Base, and their Shenzhen Science and Technology Museum. Meanwhile, the designed team was recently selected for the design of Shenzhen’s Natural History Museum; comprising 3XN, B+H, and Zhubo Design.