‘Headquarters of the future’: Plans for Chinese tech firm Tencent’s vast new campus unveiled

Despite Tencent Helix’s huge floor area, its relatively compact shape sets it apart from many sprawling US tech campuses, which Scheeren described as being “suburban” in design. “I wanted to create something that is more urban,” he said.

The architect added that corporate campuses has become “gimmicky,” and that he favored offices that “recognize you as a serious worker and not somebody who’s just hanging around on a beanbag the entire day.”

“The office is no longer just a cubicle — but it’s also not a children’s playground,” he said, adding that “to create environments that implicitly tell you can never leave is also a highly problematic approach.”

Tencent Helix is expected to open in time for the technology firm’s 30th anniversary in 2028 and will replace the company’s main Shenzhen office as its global headquarters.