Evolution of the Metropolitan Area of Shenzhen, Analysis: From Theory to Selected Examples

Abstract

A continuously expanding megacity, the city of Shenzhen is situated on the eastern bank of the Pearl River delta, in the Southeast of China. After only 37 years of urban development, it is currently the fastest growing metropolitan area in the world. It is also a huge-scale experiment, in what is commonly referred to as a "plan-led urban form". Established in 1980, as a first Special Economic Zone (SEZ), and through the transformations of successive master plans, Shenzhen has now become one of the largest urban areas in China. Specifically, "The Master Plan of Shenzhen 1996-2010" and its subsequent revision, "The Comprehensive Plan of Shenzhen 2010-2020" reconfigured and accelerated city growth. Since 2010 the metropolitan area expanded northwards, including the previous non-SEZ territories. The plan was focused to conclusive structural evolution on border and periphery zones. The current structural master plan introduced a hierarchy of urban development on a municipal level, district level, and cluster level. Another important aspect was to regulate and control land use policy to avoid speculations on land price and building density inside emerging new districts and clusters. This article will try to describe, via particular examples, how concepts result in real site situations. It will analyse the process of detailing, from spatial development of multi-scale theoretical plans into architectural plans of study cases and finally built projects. Architectural features such as a specific building function or scale always reflect on pre-proposed theoretical guidelines of urban planning. Spatial hierarchy is imposed from macro-scale into micro-scale. Chosen insights are corresponding with recent periods of urban development and respond to infrastructural, economic and social needs of the time. The buildings are designed by European consultants, gmp International GmbH architects and engineers and they are implemented to Chinese frameworks. The analysis is based on comparison of theoretical surveys and observed in-field implementation. As a conclusion, the author tries critically to analyse the advantages and disadvantages of the fast and global growth of Shenzhen metropolitan area and transposition into architectural scale. What is making Shenzhen unique and innovative in city development?