Sustainable architectural designs can go a long way in helping cities cope with some of the most pressing social and ecological challenges facing metropolitan areas today. The design of a pair of supertall skyscrapers in Shenzhen aims to showcase how integrating sustainability into our built environment can benefit urban areas.

The skyscrapers, which will define Shenzhen’s mixed-use Tower C development, have been designed by Zaha Hadid Architects and will serve the Greater Bay Area of Guandong, Hong Kong, and Macau.

Informed by 3D-modelling techniques, the skyscrapers feature a futuristic, energy-efficient design with terraced levels and dramatic curves. The project targets high-performance energy standards with sustainable elements such as water collection and recycling as well as aquaponic gardens that help purify the city’s air.

Located within a global technology hub, the development will accommodate 300,000 people when complete and include residential apartments, a transportation center, arts and culture programming, and a landscaping plan with native grasslands and coastal wetlands.

Inspired by adjacent parks and plazas, the architects have designed Tower C as an extension of the landscape with a terraced podium that supports two towers with heights of nearly 400 meters.

To make it as energy-efficient as possible, the designers will equip the building with high-efficiency equipment and automated indoor environmental controls. Solar panels and a water recycling system will further reduce resource consumption.

To further enhance health and wellness, low-VOC materials will be installed throughout the interior while outdoor aquaponic gardens grown on every terraced level will serve as a protective biological filter against air contaminants.