On March 31^st, China’s most popular architecture web media site, ArchDaily China, announced the winner of its 2022 ArchDaily China Building of the Year Award. Out of more than 800 entries, Shenzhen Bao'an OCT OH BAY, developed by Baoan Urban Management Bureau, OCT Group, and designed by Laguarda.Low Architects was awarded the First Place Award.

The most comprehensive and professional architectural media in China, ArchDaily China introduces Chinese architecture to the world and engages with the global architectural community through persistent communication. According to the official statistics, ten outstanding projects were nominated via public voting for the Top 10 buildings. Only three projects were voted as place winners and all three winning projects focused on public space and urban renewal. The First Place Award went to OCT OH BAY, master planned and designed by Laguarda.Low. This unique development was singled out for its integration of a lush natural habitat with an innovative high-quality lifestyle cultural and commercial center within a highly particular urban environment.

Winning Project:

OCT OH BAY East Bank

Laguarda.Low Architects' concept for the 128-acre park is a representation of growth, joining commerce with world-class cultural facilities. Woven throughout this collective of various uses is an ecological blanket – a flowing natural landscape that envelopes the site, connecting the zones via pedestrian paths. The streamlined, curvilinear nature of the project and public gathering space are unifying themes, melding the needs of a commercially viable program and burgeoning cultural district at an extraordinary scale.

OCT OH BAY sets a precedent for future development in Baoan, Shenzhen. Since its opening in August 2020, it has quickly become a popular destination in Baoan, Shenzhen, receiving more than 14 million visitors.

Laguarda.Low is honored to participate in the process of rapid urban development around the world in recent decades. Our design philosophy is a holistic and forward-looking. While taking past experiences, current trends, and future needs into account, as well as specific program requirements, site conditions and infrastructure, we instill each development with a unique and distinctive character. We contextualize our design, integrating the immediate natural environment with the overall planning, seeking inspiration from nature as well as a dialogue with it.  

Despite the worldwide pandemic, we are looking towards the future and our pace of progress continues. Laguarda.Low creates imaginative solutions for every project we design by responding to changing trends, upgrading answers to consumer needs, and thinking holistically.