The city centre is the crucial epicentre of an urban agglomeration, drawing in opportunities from across a wide territory. Shenzhen is a plan-led polycentric city, but its commercially-driven development has resulted in a scattered series of city centres, and a fragmented urban identity. Culture-driven strategies have been used to strengthen urban identity, but cultural policies in Shenzhen are focused on the construction of cultural institutions, divorced from the urban design of public spaces or neighbourhoods. This paper explores the role of public space as a platform for culture, and the different roles of a ‘centre’ in large cities, outlining the economic, cultural, symbolic, and psychological values of important central spaces and events. It focuses on how cultural elements can be integrated with civic space in urban centres to improve the quality of life for residents, as well as their sense of community and identity. The paper presents an exploration of the needs of people for urban culture in Shenzhen, based on the urban theories and case studies, and field observations in Shenzhen. It finds that the sustainable development of urban centres can be realised through understanding and catering to the needs of different groups of residents, especially the activity patterns of young people and their daily collectivistic activities.