Mecanoo and Meng Architects team wins competition for Shenzhen ‘science forest’ research center

A team comprising Mecanoo, Meng Architects, and Lora Landscape has been named as winners of an international competition to design the Shenzhen Guangming Scientist Valley in China. The project seeks to create “the first comprehensive national science center in the Greater Bay Area, attracting researchers and innovative talents from around the world to create a world-leading research and innovation hub.”

The winning scheme sought to embrace the natural characteristics of the site through a concept dubbed the ‘Scientific Forest.’ Among the facilities incorporated in the center are a public activity program known as ‘1001 Forest Gardens’ and three interdependent components: a public loop, a research center, and a natural perimeter layer.

The combining of public and research-based outlets results in what the team calls a “Valley of Coexistence” which “revolves around the strategy of ‘temporal restoration and selective construction,’ with time as a vital element.”

“Situated amidst the Lian Tang Reservoir, the Lou Village Reservoir, and the valley space between them, the Shenzhen Guangming Scientist Valley benefits from its prime location, surrounded by mountains and water, offering an ecological advantage,” the team explains. “The objective is to foster collaboration between the public and scientists, nurturing the growth of the forest and promoting coexistence within the valley.”

News of the scheme comes weeks after Mecanoo was one of several firms to feature in an exhibition at the Venice Biennale on urban housing by women-led firms. The firm was also recently included in the 2023 AIA Interior Architecture Awards.