龙城文体中心Longcheng Cultural and Sports Center, Shenzhen

The site and programme pose several questions. How can a complex public building on a small plot keep cultural, sports and commercial activities both independent and connected? How can a 90 m tower remain public and accessible? And how can a large building coexist comfortably with the city and nature?

Ring

The limited site and high floor-area ratio call for a tower arrangement. Separating cultural and sports programmes into two towers distinguishes quiet from active uses. Functions requiring independent public access—the theatre, youth activity centre, retail and gateball hall—sit near ground level; reading rooms and a book café occupy upper levels with quieter surroundings and better views. Connections through the podium and roof turn the twin towers into a three-dimensional circulation ring, reconciling separate activity zones with links between programmes.

Stacked stones

Shifting the programme volumes into distinct blocks breaks down the building’s scale and produces elevated landscape terraces. Like rocks of different sizes, the blocks stack into a ring-shaped sculpture. Approaching through the city, visitors first encounter a light silver-white skin and interlocking volumes. Glimpses of greenery between them introduce a sense of discovery. V-shaped structures visible behind rippled silver metal mesh give the centre a distinctive character. Closer in, a forest-like atrium opens up as an elevated urban oasis, offering an alternative to the conventional skyline.

Canyon

Enclosed by the ring, an open atrium with a 60 m clear height becomes an urban living room where culture, sport and city life meet. A central terrace provides a semi-outdoor setting for gatherings, presentations, street dance, performances, exhibitions, shows and open-air cinema. Second-floor bridges between Ailian Station and the Longgang River connect to the atrium’s vertical circulation, forming a public recreational climbing loop designed for unrestricted, 24-hour access. Elevated viewing platforms and a book café at its summit create destinations overlooking Longcheng. Planters at different levels lift nature from the ground into the sky; vines and shrubs form a three-dimensional urban garden. Seen from below, mirrored metal panels recombine the canyon’s landscape like a kaleidoscope, merging sky and interior. A transparent cable-supported glass bridge and mirrored ceiling intensify the experience.

Sports centre and terrace gardens

Large trusses support the centre’s long-span spaces. Light filters gently through rippled silver metal mesh, casting patterns reminiscent of tree shade. Planted with tropical species, the terraces become small parks where visitors can step outside, look across the city and rest among greenery. Climbers, shrubs and small trees occupy platforms and corners both inside the atrium and around the building. Roof terraces extend east and west, opening views towards Ma’anling and the Universiade Centre.