Unlocking urban potential through large-scale land disposal: Case studies

In the face of rapid urbanization and shifting economic landscapes, strategic planning and integrated design have become essential to building resilient, future-ready cities. In Chinese Mainland, we have delivered hundreds of large-scale land disposal projects, leveraging our multidisciplinary expertise to drive transformative outcomes across complex urban environments.

Houhai Central District, Nanshan, Shenzhen – Strategic planning of the future international innovation gateway

AECOM’s economic and spatial planning team was entrusted with the strategic planning and a master plan of the 2.5 km² Houhai district. We proposed to position the Houhai central district as Shenzhen’s future international innovation portal, and the development strategy of “Headquarters of Finance + Cultural Innovation.” On this basis, we conducted an in-depth assessment of land use conditions and identified nine core cultural facilities from an urban operations perspective. These were mapped to land requirements, highlighting priority projects and spatial layout strategies. Conceptual development designs were tailored to the project’s characteristics, while incorporating the “three-horizontal, one-vertical and seven-cluster” spatial structure.

Dongguan Nancheng CBD – Advancing a “Bay Area Metropolis, Quality Dongguan”

Located in Dongguan’s Nancheng subdistrict, this 2.14 km² site forms the core area of the city’s Vitality Zone, defined by ‘one center, two axes, three zones.’ To guide this project, our team provided industrial development strategy, master planning, and urban design services. We formulated urban design optimization strategies across six dimensions: product system, spatial organization, transportation system, mixed functions, underground space, and development strategies. The result was a comprehensive set of urban design guidelines to steer all phases from concept through implementation.