New Huanggang Port Development

KEY HIGHLIGHTS
• New Huanggang Port Development officially opens as a landmark cross-boundary gateway: strengthening connectivity between Shenzhen, Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area (GBA) while supporting regional growth, innovation, and economic integration.
• A pioneering nine-storey transport and immigration hub: Vertical stacking strategy is adopted to seamlessly integrate border clearance, urban transport, public amenities, and civic spaces.
• Directly connected to Shenzhen Metro, intercity rail networks and the future Hong Kong MTR Northern Link: the building enhances cross-boundary mobility and establishes a critical transportation node within the Greater Bay Area.
• People-centric designs: barrier free immigration hall creates a seamless user experience and 25,000 sq m of public open space is created for the city
• Advanced sustainable features enhance construction efficiency: skylights, modular prefabrication and rooftop greenery contribute to environmental-friendly performance

PROJECT OVERVIEW
Aedas designs the iconic gateway to China's Greater Bay Area, the New Huanggang Port Development in collaboration with the consultant teams. The port officially commenced operations on 12 October 2026 and serves the community as the gateway that connecting Shenzhen, Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area. Aedas has worked closely with the Bureau of Public Works of Shenzhen Municipality on designing the exterior and interior of the port, ensuring the quality of the design solution.

DESIGN CONCEPT & APPROACH

In response to the site constraints, the design adopts a vertical stacking strategy to ease the boundary-crossing and local traffic, offering public space to the community. The port seamlessly integrates with Shenzhen Metro, intercity rail and the Northern Link of the Hong Kong MTR. The port is expected to handle an average of 200,000-300,000 passengers and approximately 15,000 vehicles per day, effectively meeting the growing cross-boundary travel demand between Shenzhen and Hong Kong. It serves as a vital infrastructure to support technological cooperation between the two cities and reinforces Hong Kong’s integration into the Greater Bay Area.

Spanning over 240 metres by 300 metres and rising 60 metres from ground in height, the nine-storey facility is conceived as a large-scale integrated hub, seamlessly bringing together transport, immigration, and public amenities under one roof. The passenger inspection levels adopt a grounded and rounded architectural form, while the vehicle inspection levels feature a fluid design language. The building evokes the image of a pebble resting along the banks of the Shenzhen River – an embodiment of ‘the cornerstone of GBA’ concept. The façade is characterised by horizontal lines and expressive metal fins that stretch across the elevation like flowing ribbons, symbolising the close connection between Shenzhen and Hong Kong. At its centre, the fins gently lift upward, revealing a transparent glass curtain wall that invites natural light and urban views into the interior, creating a bright, open, and welcoming new-generation port facility.

The interior design is inspired by Shenzhen’s emblem flower, the Bougainvillea. A modularisation design is adopted to integrate the ceiling and structural system by mimicking the form and structure of blossoms and foliage. Combined with 73 skylights embedded in the roof, this design creates a vibrant and immersive experience.

The immigration hall adopts a barrier-free design that brings travellers to and from Hong Kong and Shenzhen into a shared, unified space. Wayfinding elements subtly direct passenger flows, while the criss-crossing escalators express the dynamic exchange and connectivity between the two cities within a unified spatial experience.

The project connects to key urban public spaces via eastern and northern sunken plazas, allowing passengers to comfortably enter the port from all directions. As a major public building in the city, the new Huanggang Port is more open and inter-connected. It features over 25,000 sq m multi-dimensional and diverse public spaces, incorporating green parks and municipal facilities, reflecting the project's commitment to the public interest of the city.

VISITOR JOURNEY

The new Huanggang Port building delivers a seamless and efficient border-crossing experience. For travellers heading to Hong Kong, immigration procedures are handled on the fourth floor, with direct connections to the city’s public transport network at the transportation hub on the second floor. For travellers heading to Shenzhen, immigration procedures are completed efficiently on the fifth floor before accessing various modes of local transport on different floors. To accommodate high passenger volumes, the port is equipped with over 100 escalators and elevators, ensuring smooth and convenient movement for all visitors.

The building will serve as a major transportation hub, connecting to four rail and metro lines in Shenzhen, including the existing Shenzhen Metro Line 7 and the under-construction Lines 20, as well as the high-speed rail system. On the Hong Kong side, it will connect to the future MTR Northern Link extension to Tuen Ma Line and East Rail Line scheduled for completion by 2034.

SUSTAINABILITY & INNOVATION

Advanced modular prefabrication was employed to enhance construction efficiency, accelerate project delivery, and optimise overall construction costs, while the building and the rooftop integrate generous landscaping and provisions for solar panels, contributing to heat reduction and improved environmental performance.

As a vital connector between Hong Kong, the Greater Bay Area, and beyond, Aedas has played a key role in shaping major infrastructure projects. Since the late 1990s, we have contributed to landmark developments including the newly completed Hong Kong International Airport Terminal 2, Hong Kong West Kowloon Station, and the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge Passenger Clearance Building, strengthening regional connectivity through forward-thinking design. Aedas continues to design various mixed-use projects in the regions to facilitate the urban development such as designing Hetao Shenzhen-HK SciTech Innovation Zone projects to support the Hetao economic growth. These contributions reflect Aedas’ enduring commitment to building gateways that unite cities, people, and possibilities.

Project: New Huanggang Port Development
Location: Shenzhen, China
Client: Bureau of Public Works of Shenzhen Municipality
User: Office of Port of Entry and Exit of Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government
Gross Floor Area: 689,750 sq m
Completion Year: 2026
Photographers: Kris Provoost, Tim Franco, Naturespace and SeilaoJiong
Awards: Architecture MasterPrize 2022, Architizer A Awards 2022, A’Design Awards 2021-2022, MUSE Design Awards 2022, International Design Awards 2021

Lead Design Architect: Aedas
Aedas Design Directors: Keith Griffiths, Founder and Chairman; Chris Chen, Executive Director; Philips Gan, Director
Local Architect: CAPOL
Traffic Consultant: MVA, CTDRI
Structure Consultant: Arup
Façade Consultant: CCAT
Lighting Consultant: HAD (façade and landscape), Lichtvision (interiors)
Landscape Consultants: Locus, Metrostudio
Interior Detailed Design: J&A
Signage Design: duttonBRAY, Benzhi Design