Aeons before Hong Kong and Shenzhen became bustling metropolises separated by a border and checkpoints, the stretches of land where they would eventually arise were simply part of the same volcanic area in southeastern China.
Fast forward to today, and that shared ancient history has become the architectural inspiration for the revamped Huanggang Port.
Nestled amid skyscrapers, the 60-by-200-metre checkpoint sits at the limits of Shenzhen’s Futian district and resembles a giant cornerstone.
The crossing, which uses a new “joint inspection” model, was designed to highlight the commonalities of Hong Kong and Shenzhen, from their shared natural history to their joint technological efforts, its architects told the South China Morning Post on Friday.
“Huanggang represents the cornerstone of the relationship between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, and that translates immediately into the shape and form of the building,” said Keith Griffiths, founder and chairman of global architectural firm Aedas.
Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung inspected the facilities on the same day as Hong Kong took up jurisdiction of its section of the facility and continued preparations for its opening.