It is located in the southeast corner of China, near Hong Kong, but Shenzhen stands out for a few important reasons on the extensive map of China. In a matter of four decades, it has undergone a radical transformation that has allowed it to leave behind its past as a small fishing town to become a populous metropolis, a bustling commercial center and, above all, a technological hub so influential that some have dubbed it the "Silicon." Chinese Valley". Soon it could stand out for another reason: hosting the largest indoor ski slope in the world, a complex with a structure 83 meters high and 441 meters long.

The objective is for this wide snowy slope to become the hook of the new and ambitious Huafa Snow World Center commercial complex, scheduled for 2025.

An XXL monument to commerce and leisure. China is scared of XXL infrastructure and the future Huafa Snow World Center demonstrates this wonderfully. 10 Design, the architecture firm behind the project, explains that the complex will cover 131 hectares dedicated to commerce and entertainment in the heart of Shenzhen and will have a wide range of shops and a hotel from the JW Marriott chain. Its greatest attraction, however, will be another, very different one: its covered ski slope, a very large facility, of approximately 80,000 m2, which its managers already claim as "the largest of its kind in the world."

A Guinness structure. To achieve this, the architecture studio has designed what it defines as "an aerial and undulating structure to house the grandiose ski slope 83 m high and 441 m long." In the infographics that the company has published you can see how the track will even be equipped with an indoor cable car and will crown the commercial complex, defining its aesthetics.

"The theme of snow is used throughout the master plan. For example, the design team has used ceramic plates and aluminum panels to translate the texture of glaciers and ice crystals into a sleek and modern façade, and a unified design language", add those responsible for 10 Design.

Solar panels and good views. These are not the only details that have emerged about the future Huafa Snow World Center, a project already in progress and that - if the schedule managed by 10 Design is met - will be able to open next year. The center will be located in Qianhai Bay, northwest of Shenzhen, at a point connected to the airport and an intercity transportation hub. "It is located on purpose to take advantage of the views facing the river," they say.

"Instead of creating an imposing structure, we have divided the scale of the construction into a series of floating, interconnected boxes," its creators add. When designing the complex, they have also opted for the installation of solar panels on the inclined roof, the urban concept of a "sponge city" and a water management system that will allow it to collect rain.

With climate change as a backdrop and traditional ski resorts forced to face a new and complex scenario, covered slopes have been a popular option among snow sports fans for years. And the one in Shenzhen is not the first that aspires to become an XXL megastructure.

Right now, the Guinness World Records recognizes the complex created by Harbin Wanda City Investment as "the largest indoor ski facility" in the world, a facility located in Heilongjiang, northern China, with five slopes and covering 44,000 m2. The center was inaugurated a few years ago, in 2017. Another notable complex is Ski Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, with 22,500 m2 of covered area.