The winning proposal will improve the journeys of thousands of daily commuters– providing effortless transfers between high speed rail and other public transport modes. The hub will also provide connections and terminal facilities for passengers travelling to and from Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport, making it one of the most integrated transport interchanges in the world.

The design takes its inspiration from the Mangrove, a tree that has special significance for the city of Shenzhen and is one of the planet’s most effective carbon absorbers. The team developed a strong set of design principles enabling a harmonious and unique development delivering operational, experiential and ecological excellence.

The natural form of the tree’s diverse root eco-system, which thrives where waterways converge, inspired the journey passengers will take, both above and below ground, landside and airside, while its bio-diversity will be in harmony with the hub’s exciting mix of uses.

The transport interchange will be a catalyst for the transformation of the whole east terminal area into a vibrant, people oriented new commercial and cultural district for Shenzhen. The master plan has been designed to promote active travel through provision of intuitive routes, active frontages and enriching landscape features. Passengers will enjoy breath-taking arrival and departure experiences as they transit through the hub where the flowing architectural forms and naturally daylit spaces will help to guide people on their journeys through the interchange.

The project will be an exemplar of environmental sustainability and will achieve LEED Platinum and Chinese 3 Star rating through a highly economic architectural solution that uses materials efficiently and maximises repetition of components.