Shenzhen Bay Culture Plaza is a new cultural landmark for the coastal city. Its forward-looking design creates a setting in which people and the city, art and everyday life come together.
Designed by MAD Architects under the direction of Ma Yansong, the project is defined by an organic architectural language. From the landscape that flows through the plaza to the quiet interior galleries, a series of demanding double-curved surfaces represents both an ambitious pursuit of spatial art and a major construction challenge.
01. A Realm of Curves
Spatial Composition for a Greater Bay Area Landmark
Spatial design is the soul of the project. High above the lobby, layered curves appear as light as clouds and draw the eye upward through the building.
The exhibition layout is equally expressive. In Es Devlin's first major exhibition in Asia, Where My Heart Belongs, a monumental conical column immediately commands attention. It rises like a tree of life, recording a silent process of growth.
The column extends upward and merges naturally with the curved surface above, forming a continuous visual path. Its embracing walls are covered with delicate, sketch-like imagery that appears to tell unwritten stories beneath the soft integrated lighting.
02. Flexible Stone
Using Innovation to Reshape Double-Curved Forms
In contemporary architecture, double-curved structures create a sense of movement and visual impact that many architects seek. Behind those elegant forms, however, lie significant challenges in material selection and construction.
The inherent rigidity of conventional stone and sintered slabs makes them difficult to adapt to complex curvature, increasing the limitations of dry-hanging systems and the amount of material waste. Many soft ceramic products also struggle to maintain precise shaping, smooth transitions and dimensional stability across large, high-accuracy double-curved surfaces. These limitations can restrict design intent while adding time and cost risk.
To address these challenges, 21PARKHOUSE® flexible stone provides a forward-looking construction solution. Large sheets are precisely cut into smaller components, then aligned section by section with adjustable fixing points and fine-tuning tools. This strategy helps maintain flowing curves and controlled joints while reducing installation difficulty, improving material utilisation and controlling project cost.
Selected material: 21PARKHOUSE® Hill Stone (09905)
Hill Stone recreates the layered texture and warm colour of natural rock, maintaining material continuity between the interior and exterior. From the expansive curved ceiling to the embracing interior walls, its rugged stone character follows the flowing geometry without visual interruption, helping translate the architect's complex concept into a buildable surface.
03. Performance Material
A Practical Expression of the Design Language
Flexible and Bendable
Flexible stone has a minimum bending radius of 200 mm, allowing it to follow curved and irregular forms. Sheets can also be stacked or rolled for transport, reducing the space required for storage and delivery.
Efficient Installation and Formaldehyde-Free Interiors
Installation can reach approximately 20–40 m² per person per day, with straightforward maintenance after completion. The material is made primarily from stone powder, mineral powder, clay and other natural renewable inorganic materials. It is non-toxic, free from formaldehyde and designed for low-odor interiors. The product has obtained environmental certifications including US Green Label, Singapore Green Label and Bureau Veritas zero-carbon certification.
Class A Fire Performance
Flexible stone is certified to European Class A fire-performance requirements and also meets China's national Class A requirement for fire-resistant building materials. It is particularly suitable for commercial interiors, high-rise hotels, clubs, exhibition halls and office buildings where fire compliance is essential.
21PARKHOUSE® flexible stone brings material texture to complex architectural forms while combining visual refinement with technical performance. Its compatibility with curved surfaces gives architects a practical option for future projects that require both design freedom and buildable solutions.
Project Information
Project: Shenzhen Bay Culture Plaza
Selected material: 21PARKHOUSE® Hill Stone
Application: Interior walls and ceilings
Design and material selection: MAD Architects
Area: 1,200 m²
Completed: 2025
Address: Approximately 270 m northeast of Alibaba Center, Chuangye Road, Yuehai Subdistrict, Nanshan District, Shenzhen, Guangdong
Hill Stone Series
Available sizes: 2760 × 1200 mm and 1360 × 595 mm
Thickness: 2–3 mm (±1 mm)
The 2760 × 1200 mm format is a best-selling specification.
