Sited on a prominent island in the center of the OCT Bay, the 11,000sm Shenzhen Clubhouse facility provides special guests and members with a restaurant, private dining suites, a multi-purpose area, as well as recreational facilities, fitness center and a small exhibit gallery.
The building design is unique in form and massing while retaining a timelessness of architectural identity. The firm’s signature guiding principles of white metal panel and mastery of natural light highlight the building. The overlay of solid planes and clear voids create depth through a play of shades and shadow from skylights and vertical screens.
The geometry of the Shenzhen Clubhouse follows a precise focal point from which “layers” of distinct spaces radiate and terminate in a sweeping curve that is seen from the Urban Cultural, Retail and Entertainment District across the water.
Themes of circulation and a heightened spatial experience mark the approach to the building across a private bridge, welcoming guests from OCT Bay. The promenade to the Shenzhen Clubhouse is a path flanked by an allee of trees, leading to a generous arrival court with a central fountain.
The grand exterior staircase leads to the entrance of the Clubhouse. Solid kaleidoscopic planes on the front façade shield the space beyond, lending an exclusive stage for private gatherings.
At the south end of the island, linked to the Clubhouse by an outdoor pathway through a lush garden, is a pristine structure that houses the Indoor Pool and Fitness Center.
The simple geometry of the Fitness Center building contrasts with the adjacent Clubhouse in scale and form, finding a balance with the extroverted outline of the Clubhouse and energizing the dialogue between the two structures.
It contains spa facilities, a generous gym and a tranquil lounge within an understated layout, is accompanied by a 25 meter lap pool covered by a skylight roof. From within the indoor swimming pool area surrounded by glass enclosures on three sides are views to the water surrounding the island.
The outdoor spaces are conceived as a series of indigenous flower gardens, orchards, a pond, and a reflecting pool that cascades down from the main entrance lobby and flows to the perimeter.
The meandering paths through the gardens evoke a strong sense of the Chinese landscape philosophy. Various vistas, textures and settings offer the private experience and intimacy of the garden and an opportunity for solitude as well as platforms to admire the surrounding views of the water and the OCT Bay entertainment and retail complexes beyond.
Location: Shenzhen, China Architects: Richard Meier &Partners Architects Area: 11,000 sqm Year: 2012 Photographs: Roland Halbe