Yidan Center by Zaha Hadid Architects reaches full height
Construction reaches full height on the Yidan Center in Shenzhen, China, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA). The 165,815-square-meter complex is set to serve as the international headquarters of the Yidan Prize and the home of the Chen Yidan Foundation, advancing its mission to promote lifelong learning and innovation in education. Rising within the fast-developing cultural quarter of the city, alongside the new Qianhai Museum, the Yidan Center is set to become a landmark destination for research and culture.
Zaha Hadid Architects conceives the Yidan Center as a fluid, interconnected environment shaped by Shenzhen’s topography. Informed by the canyons and valleys of the region, long used as natural routes of travel and exchange, the design introduces a central outdoor ‘canyon’ that connects the different levels of the complex. Terraces and balconies open toward this void, promoting collaboration and interaction.
all renderings by Atchain
an open, inclusive landscape for learning in Shenzhen
Founded by Dr. Charles Chen Yidan, a core founder of Tencent, the Chen Yidan Foundation champions the diversification of education systems as a path toward sustainable development. Since establishing the Yidan Prize in 2016, Dr. Yidan has sought to build a global network of educators, researchers, and innovators dedicated to improving education worldwide. The new Yidan Center translates this vision into architecture, offering facilities for research, exhibitions, and community programs that bring together education and culture under one roof.
Visitors approach the building through verdant public gardens that descend to the canyon’s base, where a large oculus skylight draws daylight deep into the interior spaces. This immersive spatial sequence, moving from shaded gardens to light-filled atria, expresses the center’s ambition to create an open, inclusive environment for learning. At its lower levels, the YiPai community hub will host a diverse program of workshops and cultural events designed to empower people of all ages to pursue lifelong learning.
Sculptural Facade Unites Light, Air, and Energy Efficiency
In parallel with its social mission, the Yidan Center is designed to achieve the highest three-star rating of China’s National Green Building Program and LEED Gold certification. The layered system of external louvers on the facade provides solar shading while allowing natural light and views toward Qianhai Bay. Insulated double-glazed units, hybrid natural ventilation, and a variable air volume (VAV) system ensure optimal thermal performance in Shenzhen’s humid subtropical climate. Photovoltaic panels and integrated rainwater collection further reduce the reliance of the building on municipal energy and water networks.
The project team at Zaha Hadid Architects was led by Principal Patrik Schumacher and Project Director Manuela Gatto, supported by a multidisciplinary group spanning architecture, sustainability, interior, and workplace design. Together, they have shaped an architecture that embodies transparency, connection, and knowledge sharing, values that lie at the heart of the Yidan Foundation’s mission. As it nears completion, the Yidan Center aims to create a global ecosystem where education, innovation, and collaboration converge to shape the future.
image by ZHA
image by Kris Provoost
image by Xue Liang
image by ZHA
image by Xue Liang
image by Xue Liang
project info:
name: Yidan Center
architect: Zaha Hadid Architects | @zahahadidarchitects
location: Shenzhen, China
area: 165,815 square meters
client: Chen Yidan Foundation
principal: Patrik Schumacher
project director: Manuela Gatto
sustainability: China National Green Building Program (three-star), LEED Gold certification
ZHA team: Shao-wei Huang, Houzhe Xu, Massimo Napoleoni, Kutbuddin Nadiadi, Takehiko Iseki, Yevgeniya Pozigun, Armando Bussey, Besan Abudayah, Bowen Miao, Catherine McCann, Haohao Chen, Haoyue Zhang, Ignacio Fernandez De Castro, Jessica Wang, Jonathan Zisser, Jose Pareja Gomez, John Simpson, Kate Hunter, Laizhen Wu, Marco Vanucci, Maria Avrami, Mauro Sabiu, Nelli Denisova, Ningxin Zheng, Othmane Kandri, Sandi Nurpeissova, Thomas Bagnoli, Veronica Erspamer, Yaniv Hatiel Pini, Yun Yu Huang, Zixin Ye, Ziyuan Gao
competition team: Manuela Gatto, Paulo Flores, Aiste Dzikaraite, Ben Kikkawa, Berkin Islam, Bogdan Zaha, Carolina Lopez-Blanco, Catherine McCann, Evgeniya Yatsyuk, Houzhe Xu, Igor Pantic, Jessica Wang, Jinqi Huang, Jose Pareja Gomez, Karoly Markos, Kate Hunter, Kutbuddin Nadiadi, Li Jin, Marco Vanucci, Marko Margeta, Martin Gsandtner, Nelli Denisova, Olga Yatsyuk, Rachelle Spiteri, Sven Torres, Taras Kashko, Vincent Yeung, Yevgeniya Pozigun
sustainability team: Carlos Bausa Martinez, Aditya Ambare, Aleksander Mastalski
interior team: Kar Hwa Ho, Bidisha Sinha, Afsoon Eshaghi, Anna Adebayo, Aysu Aysoy, Chhavi Mehta, Sonia Renehan
workplace planning team: Ulrich Blum, Lorena Espaillat Bencosme, Philipp Siedler
graphic design: Alex Turner
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