Beating off competition from other stalwarts Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners (RSHP) and Henning Larsen Architects HK, Zaha Hadid Architects has won the competition to design the new headquarters for Chinese mobile phone manufacturer, OPPO, in Shenzhen, China.
With over 40,000 employees in more than 40 countries, OPPO’s new headquarters will accommodate its growth, and will follow the company’s “commitment to connectivity through design”.
Large atrium spaces unite all occupants through visual connectivity, helping to foster collaboration between different departments of the company. The abundance of natural light, varied working environments, and diversity of routes for staff and visitors to move through the building are all conducive to creative engagement and spontaneity.” – Zaha Hadid Architects
The 185,000m² project consists of four interconnected towers, reaching maximum heights of 200m with 42 floors, generating large civic spaces at street level. The first two towers offer flexible, open-plan spaces linked by a 20-storey vertical lobby, and two external service towers providing vertical circulation. Shifting the service core to the exterior allows a more versatile space and encourages interaction between employees.
With expected completion in early 2025, the winning proposal creates a new civic space for the city, including publicly accessible amenities such as a landscaped plaza, art gallery, shops, restaurants and a direct link to the adjacent station of Shenzhen’s subway network. Moreover, the rooftop is also reachable by the public, offering panoramic views of the city.
The design team is aiming for a LEED Gold from the US Green Building Council. As such, OPPO’s new headquarters were designed using 3D Building Information Modelling and energy management systems to optimise efficiency.
Photos: Zaha Hadid Architects
