The 110kV Panyu Square Substation is located in Zhushan Village in Panyu City, a suburb of Guangzhou.

The substation was designed to be functional and to make human-centric contributions to the surrounding community; but also as a modern interpretation of the “floating clouds” concept – a traditional symbol representing luck and good fortune, as in Chinese culture, clouds have the power to bring disparate energies together. This design reduces visual pressure on the landscape through natural forms that unite the community and offer public facilities and open spaces to make life better for the residents.

The substation’s second-floor platform connects the surrounding village areas to public green spaces, making access more convenient. Its facilities, including tea rooms and electric vehicle charging spaces, sit alongside a communal urban square. Circulation stairs and a green slope connect the square to the platform floor which also holds a science gallery. Scattered seats on the stairs serve as both rest areas for people and stadium-type seating for events or gatherings. The platform also provides varied terrain for runners and walkers, and acts as a canopy and shelter for people and the vehicles charging below.

The outer wall of the substation is made from perforated aluminium plates. The design inspiration comes from the various shapes of rain clouds – tighter holes represent the condensed structure of a rain cloud’s upper layer, while the lower parts have a looser structure. The aluminium façade facing the square can also act as an interactive screen at night, where short films and other entertainment can be shown.