To develop a planning and design strategy in Shenzhen, China -- a rapidly changing city that grew from a population of 300,000 to over 10 million in 30 years. The area of focus is the dominant electronics market in China, where government and market forces are rapidly overwhelming the status quo.
The investigation began with understanding the physical infrastructure and flows that are the backbone of the city. The physical network of roads and rails connects nodes and centers of activity—together comprising the infrastructure that makes this city so prosperous. The proposal draws upon this regional analysis and our field site study to create a foundation for our programmatic and spatial design. The historical and anticipated economic growth has social implications which Part I of the proposal seeks to address. The industrial and economic growth of Shenzhen is highly dependent on the migrant workers, who make up nearly 75% of the population. Current housing conditions are inadequate and options limited for these workers that lack access to benefits exclusive to permanent residents of Shenzhen. Through the use of inclusionary zoning, density bonuses, and impact fees, the proposal lays the groundwork for creating more affordable housing for the migrant workers and other low-income households.
Part II of the proposal seeks to address the centrality of HuaQiangBei that is being reinforced via the subway expansion which increases accessibility to the site and connectivity to the rest of the Special Economic Zone.
