Construction of the highly anticipated OPPO headquarters campus in Shenzhen's Greater Bay Area has entered a visible new phase as facade installation begins at the site. The project, designed by the renowned Zaha Hadid Architects, represents a major development for the Chinese technology company, consolidating its workplace into a single, forward-thinking campus. Located within one of China's fastest-growing urban regions, the headquarters is designed to accommodate OPPO's rapidly expanding workforce while blending corporate functions with publicly accessible spaces. The commencement of external envelope assembly marks a significant step forward, revealing the building's distinctive massing, tower configuration, and overall spatial organization that has been carefully planned over several years.
The campus comprises four interconnected towers with a combined gross floor area of approximately 185,000 square meters, soaring to heights of up to 200 meters across 42 floors. Two of the towers are dedicated to flexible office spaces, while the remaining pair house vertical circulation and essential service functions. A dramatic 20-story vertical lobby serves as the connective tissue between the towers, organizing internal movement and providing expansive shared circulation areas for employees and visitors. The towers are strategically oriented toward Shenzhen Bay, and their design features an inward tapering at lower levels, which creates generous open spaces at ground level and establishes a thoughtful relationship between the building and the surrounding urban fabric.
One of the most innovative aspects of the design involves positioning service cores on the exterior of the towers rather than the traditional central core layout. This approach liberates the interior floor areas from structural and mechanical obstructions, allowing for uninterrupted floor plates and continuous sightlines across workspaces. Large atrium spaces visually connect different levels, while circulation routes are distributed both vertically and horizontally throughout the complex. According to the design team, this configuration prioritizes spatial clarity and adaptability, enabling individual departments to reconfigure their layouts over time while maintaining strong visual connections across the entire campus.
Unlike traditional corporate enclaves that separate themselves from the city, the OPPO headquarters is designed to function as a publicly accessible urban node at ground and podium levels. A diagonal pedestrian route cuts across the site, connecting a landscaped plaza with an art gallery, retail spaces, restaurants, and direct access to a nearby subway station. Additional public programs are located above ground, including a sky plaza on the 10th floor and an inviting rooftop terrace that offers panoramic views of the city. This integration of public space reflects a growing trend in corporate architecture that embraces community engagement and urban connectivity.
Sustainability is a key priority for the project, which is targeting LEED Gold certification. The design incorporates external louvers and advanced energy management systems intended to reduce solar gain and improve operational efficiency throughout the year. These features demonstrate OPPO's commitment to environmental responsibility while creating a comfortable working environment for its employees. The building's orientation and facade design work together to optimize natural light and ventilation, reducing reliance on artificial climate control systems.
The OPPO headquarters project continues Zaha Hadid Architects' strong presence in Shenzhen and the broader Chinese market. In other recent developments, the firm, in collaboration with RINA as team leader alongside Studio Plicchi, WSP, STI Engineering, and BC Building Consulting, has won the international competition to design the Malpensa Hospital in Italy. Additionally, an exhibition titled "Architecture of Possibility: Zaha Hadid Architects" is currently on view at the Museum of Contemporary Art and Urban Planning (MOCAUP) in Shenzhen, presenting an overview of the practice's work and its evolution over recent decades. Meanwhile, construction of Zaha Hadid Architects' Yidan Center in Shenzhen has reached its full height, with the building planned to house the Chen Yidan Foundation and the Yidan Prize, organizations focused on education and lifelong learning.
