OPower Cultural and Arts Centre Landscape Design by Lab D+H Shanghai

The OPower Cultural and Arts Centre in Shenzhen, China, transforms the decommissioned Huazhong Power Plant—operational from the 1980s until 2006—into a vibrant public space for cultural and recreational activities. This design celebrates the site’s industrial heritage while weaving in modern functionality and ecological sensitivity, creating a dynamic space tailored to Shenzhen’s youthful, forward-thinking population.

The project’s name, “OPower,” encapsulates its essence. The “O” draws inspiration from the circular oil barrels once scattered across the site, now reflected in the landscape’s curving pathways and plazas. “Power” honours the plant’s legacy as an energy provider, reimagined here as a source of cultural vitality. This naming bridges the site’s past and present, setting the tone for the design.

Design Concept and Spatial Layout
The landscape is organized into two distinct zones:
• Southern Section: Dedicated to cultural programs, hosting events and exhibitions.
• Northern Section: Designed for leisure and social interaction, encouraging community engagement.
Circular motifs, inspired by the site’s industrial relics, shape the spatial layout. These forms define intuitive pathways, gathering spaces, and seating areas, subtly recalling the site’s history while ensuring fluid movement and accessibility.

Material Choices
Two primary materials define the design:
• Concrete: Left in its natural, uncoloured state, concrete forms the backbone of pathways, seating, and plazas. Its raw texture offers a neutral, durable base that complements other elements and supports sustainability.
• Blue-Painted Metal: Preserved metal oil tanks from the plant’s industrial era are coated in vibrant blue protective paint. This choice serves both practical and aesthetic purposes: the paint prevents rust, extending the tanks’ lifespan, while the bold hue transforms them into striking visual landmarks. The blue aligns with Shenzhen’s modern identity, adding a fashionable contrast to the natural concrete and greenery.

Ecological Considerations
Sustainability drives the design. Existing mature trees, such as camphor and native species, are retained to maintain the site’s green canopy and enhance biodiversity. Circular water features—reflective ponds and fountains—improve the microclimate and add visual appeal. Sustainable elements like rain gardens and permeable surfaces manage stormwater, reinforcing the project’s environmental ethos.

Industrial Heritage Integration
The design preserves and reinterprets key industrial features:
• The towering chimney stands as a historical centrepiece.
• The turbine hall is repurposed for cultural events, merging past and present.
• Smaller relics—old lamps and power structures—are reimagined as lighting fixtures and sculptural accents.
• The blue-painted oil tanks become iconic, functional art pieces, their vivid colour enhancing the landscape’s character.
Modern additions, such as glass pavilions and steel canopies, complement these elements, creating a cohesive narrative of industrial legacy and contemporary innovation.

Community and Urban Impact
The OPower Cultural and Arts Centre enriches Shenzhen with a space that balances heritage and modernity. Energy-efficient LED lighting extends usability into the evening, while the preserved trees and bold blue accents create an inviting, distinctive atmosphere. This project not only enhances the city’s cultural offerings but also sets a precedent for urban renewal that prioritizes history, sustainability, and public engagement.

• Project typology:
Community Center

• All landscape architecture offices involved in the design of landscape:
Lab D+H SH

• All architecture offices involved in the design:

Shenzhen Huahui Architecture

• Other credits:

Client: Overseas Chinese Town
Signage Consultant: Liangxiang
Waterscape Consultant: Sushui Design
Lighting Consultant: Tungsten Studio
Photographer/Image Credits: Bing Lu, DID Studio, Tungsten Studio

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