The Pengcheng Laboratory (PCL) is a cutting-edge research institution specializing in artificial intelligence, big data and other emerging technologies. Its supercomputer is one of the fastest in the world, enabling researchers to tackle complex problems and carry out large-scale simulations. PCL’s campus sits in the Shibilong area of Shenzhen, and our design locates it within the surrounding mountain terrain, maximizing natural views and integrating social spaces with nature to promote interdisciplinary collaboration. The campus is arranged in a rational grid and divided into separate areas for academic exchange, research and living, with social amenities at the heart of the scheme. With a 24-metre elevation change across the site, we routed vehicles below ground or to the edges of the campus to prioritise pedestrians and bicycles.
The main buildings share a simple, timeless architectural language to give a sense of continuity. The principal gateway to the site is a 150-metre academic tower sitting above a conference centre and exhibition hall, its louvred profiles providing shade and allowing natural ventilation. We located the primary research spaces in three U-shaped research blocks nearby. Built on a gentle slope, they grow from a shared podium giving researchers space for social interaction and collaboration, and are linked by a network of green terraces and sky bridges with views out into the surrounding landscape. The initial phase of work to be completed is a 436,500 square meter flagship laboratory, which has already welcomed its first group of researchers.