Tucked away in Shekou, Coffee Flower Book feels like a well-kept secret. Soft yellow lamps cast a gentle glow over stacks of books that seem to breathe history.

The Nanshan, Yantian, Longgang and Bao’an energy ecological parks are four urban waste treatment facilities operated by Shenzhen Energy Environment Co., Ltd. They are not only waste-to-energy plants that use innovative solutions, but also public science and technology education centers and leisure destinations — turning NIMBY (not in my backyard) into YIMBY (yes in my backyard).

Shekou Sea World is an internationally-minded enclave of bars, clubs and live music venues, alongside plenty of restaurants and cafes.

Bookworms and art lovers will marvel at the astonishing shū qiáng (literarily “book wall”) at this cultural center, an architectural cliff-face of illuminated bookshelves.