MVRDV's Vertical Village concept, first developed in 2011, is finally taking shape in Shenzhen's Shatoujiao district, near the Hong Kong border. This 6,500-square-meter mixed-use cultural and commercial center, known as Bihailou Art Village, is a testament to the firm's innovative approach to urban density and human-centric design. The project fragments theaters, retail spaces, restaurants, and a museum into a stack of individually expressed volumes, drawing inspiration from the surrounding village architecture and the colors, materials, and rooflines of neighboring buildings.
What makes this project particularly fascinating is the way it challenges the typical monolithic tower developments that dominate Shenzhen. MVRDV's founding partner, Winy Maas, emphasizes the joy of the design's contradictions: it appears spectacular from a distance but offers intimate spaces up close. The design is a simple concept of one space for every function, yet it appears complex and unique. This is achieved by borrowing from the surrounding village architecture and the former Bihailou restaurant that once occupied the site.
The project's public circulation becomes its civic space, with stairs, ramps, escalators, terraces, and bridges transforming into an extension of the public realm. Each program occupies its own 'house' with an independent entrance, allowing for flexible operation schedules. The performance theater, for example, features a larger double-height volume with retractable seating that converts into an exhibition hall, while a floor-to-ceiling opening connects performances and exhibitions to the adjacent public plaza.
The Bihailou Art Village revisits the central ambitions of the original Vertical Village proposal, which questioned the uniformity of rapidly densifying Asian cities. By adapting the concept to a civic and commercial program, the project creates distinct identities for different uses while maintaining a connected public network. This emphasis on accessibility extends to the roofscape, where visitors can move through gaps between the stacked volumes to reach publicly accessible terraces overlooking the surrounding mountains, the Shenzhen skyline, and the bay.
In conclusion, the Bihailou Art Village is a remarkable example of how architecture can challenge the status quo and create a more human-centric urban environment. It demonstrates that density and individuality can coexist, and it raises a deeper question about the future of urban development in rapidly growing metropolitan areas. MVRDV's design not only addresses the practical needs of a mixed-use cultural hub but also offers a compelling vision for the future of urban living.
