One Excellence Development in Shenzhen Complete

The One Excellence development in the new Qianhai district of Shenzhen, China, is now complete, World Architecture News reported in March. Farrells won the design competition for One Excellence in late 2013 with a design featuring four office towers, including a 300-m-tall landmark tower and two residential towers. The mixed-use development covers 757,000 m² and sets a precedent for high-density urbanism, with social and green space at its heart. The two 180-m-tall gateway towers aim to draw people toward the waterfront. The geometric elements on these towers reinforce this vision, from the tapering of the building roofs to the architectural lines, fins and features, as well as the sturdy base. The project draws its inspiration from nature and proximity to the waterfront. White and silver colors visually dominate, while the structures evoke the shape of ribbons and waves, reminding onlookers of the nearby coast as well as bringing a softer sensation to the skyline.