Schmidt Hammer Lassen tops Shenzhen Energy Ring with rooftop walkway

Architecture studio Schmidt Hammer Lassen has completed a power plant in Shenzhen, China, that is topped with a rooftop walkway.

Located in Shenzhen's Longgang District, the Shenzhen Energy Ring will incinerate 5,000 tons of waste per day, generating 1.2 billion kilowatt hours of energy (kWh) annually. The emission standards implemented at the plant exceed the China national standard (GB18485-2014) and EU standards (2010/75/EU).

Schmidt Hammer Lassen in collaboration with Gottlieb Paludan Architects, created a simple form for the plant in response to its complex functions, aiming to efficiently combine the industrial process with the public facing education and exhibition spaces.

"When designing the Energy Ring, we were solving an existing problem while aiming to make a long-term impact on our climate crisis," said Schmidt Hammer Lassen design director Chris Hardie.

"The intent of the architecture is to deal with the complexity of the power plant's process and express it in a simple clear form, elevating an otherwise mundane building type into something more iconic and impactful."

The shape of the building was designed to contain all the plant's functions within the smallest area possible. The conical form has a flat roof topped with solar panels.

"Our approach compresses multiple functions into a smaller area, and in turn, this brings spaces for education, exhibition, and research facilities together, and allows us to maintain a building coverage that is 11 per cent less than the maximum allowed," said Schmidt Hammer Lassen project director Chao Chen.

The facade is comprised of 8,215 triangular-shaped steel lamellas spiralling upwards, covered in an orange coating that supports pollution resistance and self-cleaning.

Each lamella contains integrated gutters that allow the facade to drain while provide shading at the same time.

Between the lamellas, expanded metal mesh allows natural ventilation, smoke exhaust, and daylighting. A steel louver system on the roof provides additional natural ventilation.

According to Schmidt Hammer Lassen, Shenzhen Energy Ring is one of the first industrial buildings in China to achieve LEED Gold sustainability certification.

Along with the 18,000-square-meter photovoltaic array on the roof, the emphasis on natural ventilation reduces the building's need for interior electric lighting and air conditioning.

In addition to a piece of infrastructure, the Energy Ring has exhibition spaces to support community learning.

Visitors are greeted at a landscaped plaza, with a real-time statistical information board showing waste amounts processed and energy produced of the day marked at the entrance of the building.

Visitors then pass a bridge between the plant's two towering smokestacks, leading into the building where the exhibition hall is located.

The tour continues in a 150-metre long elevated glass-enclosed walkway, where visitors are able to get a close look at the incineration process.

At the end of the walkway, an elevator takes visitors to the rooftop where they can enjoy the surrounding nature while walking along a 1.1-kilometre-long path around the building's perimeter.

"The Energy Ring isn't just infrastructure; it's a journey of discovery," said Hardie.

"I think the most important part of this project is for visitors to experience the scale of this facility and to leave with a lasting impression about the importance of minimising waste in our daily lives."

Shenzhen Energy Ring won civic project of the year at Dezeen Awards China last year.

Elsewhere in China, Schmidt Hammer Lassen completed an art centre in Beijing that references the shape of a granary and transformed a domed cement factory in Shanghai into a performing arts and sports venue.

The video is by RAWVISION Studio, and the photography is by Tian Fangfang

Project credits:

Architect: Schmidt Hammer Lassen
Principal in charge: Chris Hardie
Project director: Chao Chen
Project team: Steven Chen, Weijie Fu, Rasmus Duong-Grunnet, Tade Godbersen, Yu Jing, Tim Kunkel, Claudius Lange, Dong Liang, Rong Lu, Simon Persson, Xiao Sun, Michelle Tang, Gu Xiao, Ella Xu, Mo Yang, Tasha Ye-Feng
Collaborating architect: Gottlieb Paludan Architects
Structural consultant: Schlaich Bergermann Partner
Landscape consultant: EAST Design
Landscape architect: Shenzhen Landscape Co
Local architect: East China Electrical Power Design Institute Co of China Power Engineering Consulting Group
Contractors: China Energy Engineering Group Northeast No.1 Electric Construction Co., Power China Shanghai Power Construction No.2 Co

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