Unveiling the Grand Design: A Glimpse into Tencent's Ambitious Future Headquarters
Tencent's groundbreaking new campus, set to open in 2028, will house a staggering 23,000 employees With a size almost double that of Apple's HQ, this futuristic tech haven will redefine corporate campuses, creating a city within a city
The designers of Tencents massive new campus in China revealed their vision for the site on Thursday, presenting their helix-inspired centerpiece as the "headquarters of the future." The campus, set to house over 23,000 employees on nearly 500,000 square meters (5.38 million square feet), will be almost twice the size of Apples California headquarters when it opens in five years.
Architects Büro Ole Scheeren have exclusively shared digital renderings with CNN of their design, which features four towers spiraling out from an open central space known as the "Vortex Incubator." The landmark structure will serve as the focal point of a car-free "future city" being developed by Tencent, the owner of messaging services WeChat and QQ, in Shenzhen, China.
During a video call with CNN, Ole Scheeren, the founder of the architecture firm, described the "swirling vortex geometry" of the buildings as creating an "ecosystem where everything comes together, where work merges into a very collaborative interactive environment."
A central area dubbed the "Vortex Incubator" will sit at the heart of the campus.
Buro-OS
The German architects vision was chosen by Tencent, Chinas most valuable publicly traded company, following an international design competition.
The lower levels of the Tencent Helix scheme link the office towers through a spacious lobby and shared educational, recreational, sports, and fitness facilities, featuring basketball, tennis, and badminton courts. On the ground level, restaurants and shops blur the line between public and private areas.
According to Scheeren, who also co-designed Beijings famous CCTV Headquarters, this design creates a building without a definitive front or back. He noted that depending on the viewing angle, the appearance of the structure will change subtly while remaining recognizable.
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City within in a city
Tencent revealed its plans for the wider neighborhood, formerly known as "Net City," in 2020. This development is taking place on a reclaimed piece of land that extends into the Pearl River estuary, with connections to the rest of Shenzhen via ferries and the city's subway system. According to Scheeren, though the district is "predominantly car free," employees will still have access to Tencents headquarters via road bridges linking to parking spaces and drop-off points.
The technology company's headquarters will be just one of many structures, which will also include schools and public amenities, on the site. While some of the buildings are already being constructed, others have not yet had their designs revealed.
An aerial view of the plan shows pedestrian pathways spiraling out into the surrounding neighborhood.
Buro-OS
To establish a harmonious connection between the new headquarters and its environment, Scheerens will extend his helix motif, which he described as evoking galaxies and cloud bands around the eye of a storm, into a network of pedestrian pathways that spiral out from the central structure. The updated master plan also features a meandering path that Scheeren likened to a "High Line 2.0."
Reimagining gimmicky corporate campuses
"I discovered a method to effectively incorporate the existing buildings into a pedestrian network and landscaping without altering their structures. This approach utilizes the public space to unify the entire master plan," he explained.
The German architect emphasized the importance of integrating nature into the design to create a "connection to outdoor space... while maintaining a highly functional workspace."
The building will be designed to take advantage of natural ventilation, and will also include a "sponge city" concept to absorb or capture rainwater, providing protection against storm surges and conserving water for irrigation.
Chinese boarding school called Tencent Helix was awarded World Building of the Year. Despite its large floor area, it stands out from sprawling US tech campuses with its compact and urban design, according to architect Scheeren.
The architect expressed disapproval of the "gimmicky" nature of corporate campuses, stating a preference for offices that convey a sense of professionalism and seriousness. He emphasized the need to move away from the perception of the office as both a cubicle and a playground, and cautioned against creating environments that discourage leaving.
Tencent Helix is expected to open in time for the technology firms 30th anniversary in 2028 and will replace the companys main Shenzhen office as its global headquarters.
