Architecture studio NBBJ has completed the headquarters of Chinese technology company Vivo in Shenzhen, China, featuring a continuous terrace that wraps around the exterior of the skyscraper.
Located in Qianhai Bay, one of Shenzhen’s emerging business districts, the 150-metre-high tower accommodates approximately 6,000 employees. According to NBBJ, the project draws inspiration from Vivo’s smartphones and the camera technology for which the brand is known.
Consequently, the tower’s floor plates rotate incrementally around the core while shifting at slight angles. As a result, the structure generates a continuous 360-degree spiralling terrace that recalls the aperture mechanism of a camera lens.
The evolving geometry also creates a sequence of multi-level atriums overlooking the surrounding landscape. Therefore, the design emphasizes visual connections between the workplace and the wider environment.
“One of the building’s guiding visions is ‘capturing life’ the hope that everyone working here will create meaningful professional memories within these vibrant workspaces,” said NBBJ.
“Eight distinct atria dissolve boundaries between inside and outside, work and nature, tower and sky.”
Sculptural Façade Enhances Natural Ventilation and Climate Performance
In contrast to the predominantly glass towers that define the Qianhai Bay skyline, NBBJ developed a sculptural façade intended to establish a distinct identity for the headquarters. Meanwhile, horizontal glazing maximizes views across the bay while contributing to solar control.
Combined with self-shading elements, the façade helps reduce heat gain during the summer and optimize daylight levels in winter. In addition, operable windows concealed behind perforated metal screens allow natural ventilation to support indoor comfort within southern China’s humid subtropical climate.
Consequently, the building reduces dependence on mechanical systems while integrating passive environmental strategies into its design.
The podium was informed by the rocky coastlines of the South China Sea and incorporates stepped terraces and planting areas. Furthermore, landscape design varies according to elevation and environmental conditions throughout the building.
Shallow-rooted species occupy lower levels, whereas plants with deeper root systems appear higher up to withstand typhoon-season winds. Meanwhile, flowering trees and ferns introduce changing textures and colors across the terraces.
Architecture and Ecology Form a Continuous Vertical Landscape
“Rather than a building adorned with planting, Vivo’s HQ becomes a unified project in which coastal and lowland forest ecologies are woven directly into its architectural form,” said NBBJ.
“Landscape design responds to vertical shifts in elevation, aligning ecological strategies with building massing so that the transition from plaza to podium reads as a continuous, inhabitable terrain.”
Accordingly, the project blurs distinctions between architecture, landscape and workplace design. In addition, the integration of ecological systems reinforces a growing emphasis on biophilic environments within contemporary high-rise developments.
The completed headquarters further expands NBBJ’s portfolio of research-driven projects. Recently, the studio designed the Life and Mind Building for the University of Oxford and developed an adolescent behavioral health campus composed of curved structures.
Through its spiralling terraces, climate-responsive façade and layered planting strategy, Vivo Headquarters introduces a new architectural presence to Shenzhen’s evolving skyline while demonstrating how technology-inspired forms can support environmental and experiential design.