New Zealand studio Architecture van Brandenburg has released a new monograph exploring the design and construction of Marisfrolg Gardens, the mixed-use headquarters and cultural campus created for fashion house Marisfrolg in Shenzhen, China. Richly illustrated with photography, architectural drawings, sketches and project documentation, the publication offers an in-depth examination of one of the studio’s most ambitious works.
The book chronicles the development of the 190,400-square-metre campus, which Architecture van Brandenburg conceived as a workplace that also functions as a cultural destination, bringing together architecture, landscape and public programming.
A mixed-use campus blending architecture, fashion and landscape
Designed as a creative environment for Marisfrolg, the campus combines corporate, cultural and hospitality functions within a series of biomorphic buildings characterised by curved brick walls and richly textured façades.
The development accommodates flagship retail spaces, production and administration facilities, fashion design studios, a catwalk and events venue, landscaped gardens and a pond. Additionally, it includes a museum, art gallery, boutique hotel, restaurant, exhibition spaces and underground parking, creating a destination that extends beyond a conventional corporate headquarters.
Architecture van Brandenburg employed an expressive material palette featuring recycled ceramics, stone, marble and glass. Curved masonry forms and sculptural volumes establish a close relationship between architecture and the surrounding landscape while reinforcing the project’s emphasis on craftsmanship and material innovation.
Publication examines the design process and material experimentation
Organised across 23 chapters, the monograph traces the project from its earliest concept studies and prototype development through construction and completion.
“More than a monograph, the book serves as a reflection on the role of design in creating meaningful cultural destinations,” the studio said.
“Through its exploration of material innovation, environmental sensitivity, and interdisciplinary collaboration, Marisfrolg Gardens presents a model for how architecture can foster connection between people, place, and culture.”
The publication documents key architectural features, including the headquarters’ undulating hotel façades, skylit circulation spaces and the 35-metre-high entrance atrium. Furthermore, a dedicated section examines the building’s material research, highlighting the reuse of ceramic pots within the façade system and the construction of full-scale roof prototypes during the design process.
Additional chapters explore the vaulted gallery interiors and the exhibition building’s ornamental roof structure, offering detailed insight into the relationship between architecture, craftsmanship and landscape design.
Coinciding with the book’s publication, a museum exhibition has also opened, presenting the design and construction process behind Marisfrolg Gardens through drawings, models and project documentation.