MVRDV Archives

Dutch studio MVRDV has revealed a series of residential high-rises arranged around courtyards in Shenzhen’s Qianhai bay, which will form part of a smart city development by technology company Tencent.

Named Tencent 5, the residential complex will have four courtyards surrounded by 11 apartment buildings and an adjacent kindergarten, designed to be a neighbourhood that fosters community.

Located on a narrow peninsula, the bayside residences will be the centrepiece of a wider smart city campus developed by Tencent and masterplanned by US architecture studio NBBJ.

MVRDV designed Tencent 5 as a social and green development that provides housing to employees working in the city.

Residential high-rises by MVRDV in Shenzhen — Muli-level balconies will puncture the facades

“By contributing to Tencent’s smart city, we want to show that smart cities are also healthy cities, green cities, and social cities,” said MVRDV founding partner Winy Maas.

“The attention in smart cities always goes to the technology, and our design of the Tencent residential complex certainly includes that, but in our conception, the technology-related aspects are inseparable from the social spaces, the green courtyards, the terraces – the technological goes hand-in-hand with the human.”

MVRDV residential buildings in Shenzhen — It will provide housing to employees working in the smart city campus

The terraced residential buildings, which range in height from 57 to one hundred metres, will have equally-sized apartments with views of the sea to the west and the bay towards the east.

“Located at the northern end of the campus, MVRDV’s design emphasises equality between residents,” said MVRDV. “All units are identical in size and layout, with each providing a balcony or bay window to its occupant.”

“The buildings are terraced, supporting communal green spaces that can be accessed by all residents.”

The green courtyards and other public spaces in Tencent 5 were designed to be places where neighbours can connect with each other.

Pedestrian paths through the complex will provide added outdoor space populated with sports and leisure activities.

Tencent 5 residential development in Shenzhen — Green pathways will cut through the site

Additional shared amenity space will be located on the ground floors of the residential buildings, and multi-level balconies will puncture the facades.

“Large, multi-floor breakout spaces puncture the towers’ facades at a variety of levels, allowing residents to gather with others who live in the same part of the building and breaking the development into a number of smaller ‘neighbourhoods’,” said MVRDV.

Kindergarten in Shenzhen by MVRDV — A series of connected blocks will form the kindergarten

A kindergarten adjacent to the residential complex will also be arranged around its own courtyard. It will be made up of a series of blocky buildings with rooftop gardens, connected by corridors and walkways.

“The courtyard, along with the spaces between the blocks, provide safe and shaded playing spaces for the children, while the blocks themselves feature rooftop gardens,” said MVRDV.

Tencent 5 kindergarten by MVRDV — The kindergarten will also have a courtyard

Construction on Tencent 5 is underway and it is due to be completed in 2024.

Other projects by MVRDV in China include the transformation of a skyscraper in Shenzhen into a women and children’s centre and its plans for a library in Wuhan with a sweeping form.

The images are by Atchain.

Project credits:

Architect: MVRDV
Co-architect: A&E design
Contractor: Shanghai Baoye Group Corp
Structural engineering and MEP: A&E design
Cost calculation: Arcadis
Environmental advisor: ATKINS
Visualisations: Atchain and Tiptop

Reference

Architecture

MVRDV plans new green district in düsseldorf with colorful residential complex

By Zarkon Group,13/01/2024

MVRDV and LOLA plan new green district in Düsseldorf

MVRDV has collaborated with landscape architects LOLA to conceptualize the Grüne Mitte project in Düsseldorf, prioritizing open communication, negotiation, and compromise in urban development. Initiated by Cube Real Estate, the project aims to introduce nearly 500 new apartments, with 50 percent allocated to social or affordable housing. Additionally, the development incorporates community spaces to enhance the overall well-being of the neighborhood. The proposed site in Flingern-Süd currently hosts an underutilized shopping center, supermarket, and car park complex built just 11 years ago. The neighboring Kiefernstraße, known for squatting since the 1980s and vibrant street art, adds a unique aspect to the community dynamics. To ensure community involvement and support, the team engaged in a participation process, collaborating to align development objectives with the diverse needs of the community. This approach has facilitated the integration of social and affordable housing and the creation of community spaces that contribute positively to the neighborhood.

Grüne Mitte in Düsseldorf, all images © MVRDV

A Sustainable and Community-Informed Design

MVRDV (see more here) and LOLA (see more here) conducted a series of workshops to involve residents in the development process. Interviews were held, and brainstorming sessions took place to gather ideas. Through this collaborative process, key requirements emerged, including the importance of retaining the supermarket as a social meeting spot, improving connectivity to neighboring city districts, and incorporating public spaces for an inclusive social environment. Designers presented three outline proposals for residents to discuss, with the Grüne Mitte design, featuring blocks around a central green space, being the most popular choice. The central park-like space within the block reduces paved or built surfaces from 98 percent to 62 percent, serving as a community hub accessible through various passages. This green area features amenities like kiosks, sports facilities, and playgrounds, contributing to increased biodiversity and a pleasant microclimate.

the green open space contributes to increasing the biodiversity in the neighborhood

To economically support this large green space, a spatial compromise led to the inclusion of an office high-rise on the southwestern corner. Despite not aligning with the city’s high-rise plan, community support prompted special approval. The design team, considering community preferences, presented three proposals for the high-rise. The final 17-story design incorporates stacked blocks, with the lower one aligning with the Grüne Mitte, and the upper block twisted to complement the neighborhood’s features. Sustainability measures include green roofs, photovoltaic panels, cross-laminated timber floors, and an urban mining approach. The building’s façades celebrate diversity, with different treatments for each block, and some walls proposed for street art collaborations with Kiefernstraße residents.

the lower block of the 17-story building aligns with Grüne Mitte, while the upper block is twisted to complement the features of the neighborhood

different façade treatments for each block celebrate diversity and make the building more inviting

green roofs, photovoltaic panels, and cross-laminated timber floors contribute to the project’s sustainability

project info:

name: Grüne Mitte

architects: MVRDV | @mvrdv and LOLA | @lolalandscapearchitects

location: Düsseldorf, Germany

christina petridou I designboom

jan 13, 2024

Reference

Architecture

MVRDV revives old tower as shenzhen women & children’s center

By Zarkon Group,01/10/2023

project info:

name: Shenzhen Women & Children’s Center

location: Shenzhen, China

architecture: MVRDV | @mvrdv

founding partner in charge: Jacob van Rijs

partner: Wenchian Shi

director MVRDV Asia: Steven SmitPeter Chang

project leader (Rotterdam): Lorenzo Mattozzi
project leader (Shanghai): Luca Xuconcept design: Lorenzo Mattozzi, Marco Gazzola,
Giuseppe Mazzaglia, Daehee Suk, Chi Zhang, Siyi Pan, Bertrand Tan, Albert Parfonov,
Andrius Ribikauskas, Enrica Perrot, Martina Franco, Peter Chang, Luca Xu
schematic design: Lorenzo Mattozzi, Giuseppe Mazzaglia, Daehee Suk, Fredy Fortich,
Chi Zhang, Bertrand Tan, Jiameng Li, Agnieszka Dabek, Paula Vargas Torres, Elisa Paneni,
Peter Chang, Luca Xu, Yang Hong, Leo Zhang, Cai Huang
detail design: Lorenzo Mattozzi, Giuseppe Mazzaglia, Daehee Suk, Fredy Fortich,
Chi Zhang, Bertrand Tan, Jiameng Li, Paula Vargas Torres, Luca Xu, Yang Hong, Echo Zhai, Ruochen Zhang
interior & Landscape design: Lorenzo Mattozzi, Fokke Moerel, Pim Bangert, Giovanni Nardi, Daehee Suk, Jiameng Li, Bertrand Tan, Paula Vargas Torres, Luca Xu
working documents revision: Lorenzo Mattozzi, Luca Xu, Giuseppe Mazzaglia,
Daehee Suk, Jiameng Li, Fredy Fortich, Yihong Chen, Peilu Chen, Xiaoliang Yu
aesthetic supervision: Lorenzo Mattozz, iLuca Xu, Giuseppe Mazzaglia,
Bertrand Tan, Jiameng Li, Americo Iannazzone, Yihong Chen, Kefei Yan, Edvan Ardianto Muliana
MVRDV NEXT: Boudewijn Thomas, Yayun Liu, Changqinq Ye
visuals: Antonio Coco, Angelo La Delfa, Pavlos Ventouris, Francesco Vitale,
Luana La Martina, Jaroslaw Jeda, Emanuele Fortunati
lead project coordinator: Jammy Zhu

co-architect, lanscape, MEP: SZAD

co-project coordinator: Shenzhen Women & Children’s Building Operation and Management
facade consultant: KGE (King Glass Engineering)
structural engineering: Yuanlizhu Engineering Consultants
lighting consultant: BPI (Brandston Partnership Inc.)
cost calculation: Jinxia Property Cost Consultation Co. Ltd.
interior architect: Jiang & Associates

photographer: Xia Zhi | @xiazhi_photogtapher

Reference

Architecture

MVRDV designs “stack of country villas” for Montevideo housing block

By Zarkon Group,10/05/2023

Dutch architecture studio MVRDV has released visuals of Ziel, a pixelated residential block made up of stone-clad family units for Uruguay’s capital, Montevideo,

Described by MVRDV “as a stack of country villas”, the 15-storey building is being developed to offer residents of the dense Punta Carretas neighbourhood a more suburban lifestyle.

The design responds to the trend of Uruguayans moving out of the city and to the countryside in search of more space and greenery when starting a family.

“In Montevideo, like in many other cities, it’s common that once people start a family, they leave – buying a villa in the countryside and reducing the vitality of the city,” said founding partner Jacob van Rijs.

“With our design, we wanted to show that you can have the spaciousness and nature of the countryside on the tenth floor in the middle of the city,” added partner Frans de Witte.

“We believe the city should be for everyone, including families with children,” de Witte continued.

Visual of staggered exterior for housing block in Uruguay — The building will be made up of stone-clad family homes

Ziel is MVRDV’s first project in Uruguay. It will comprise 40 homes designed in collaboration with Argentinan architect Monoblock for local developer IXOU.

The site of the project is close to the ocean and next to the Villa Biarritz park in Punta Carretas, on the southern tip of Montevideo.

Courtyard of Ziel by MVRDV — A courtyard sits at its centre

The distinctive, pixelated form of the building will be created by shifting the floorplans of all 40 homes.

Externally, they will be clad in various stones with “warm, earthy tones” and complemented by bronze window frames.

Inside, there will be ten different home types, ranging in size from two to four beds. There will also be a rooftop lounge and dining room, a restaurant and shared swimming, gym and spa facilities.

To recreate the feeling of living a suburban lifestyle in a dense urban area, a key feature of Ziel’s design will be the integration of open green spaces. According to MVRDV, the pixelated arrangement of the block will also maximise natural light and air that can enter.

Apartment balcony of Ziel by MVRDV — There will be a series of outdoor spaces

The green spaces at Ziel will include a central courtyard, as well as private terraces, shared patios and “sky gardens” across its levels.

These sky gardens will occupy the second, fourth, sixth, and eighth floors of the building and will be filled with plants and landscaped for various activities.

Rooftop pool overlook Uruguayan capital — A swimming pool will be shared by residents

Founded in 1991, MVRDV is an architecture studio led by Winy Maas with van Rijs and Nathalie de Vries.

Another recent housing project by the studio includes Ilot Queyries in Bordeaux, France, which is folded around a large red courtyard.

The visuals are courtesy of MVRDV.

Reference

MVRDV

MVRDV unveils residential development for Tencent smart city

MVRDV plans new green district in düsseldorf with colorful residential complex

MVRDV and LOLA plan new green district in Düsseldorf

A Sustainable and Community-Informed Design

MVRDV revives old tower as shenzhen women & children’s center

MVRDV designs “stack of country villas” for Montevideo housing block

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