Architecture firm Goettsch Partners (GP) has designed the new Poly Business Tower in Shunde, China. Totaling 110,000 square meters, the project is one of several current assignments between GP and leading Chinese developer Poly Real Estate (Group) Co., Ltd. Other office, hotel and mixed-use developments are located in the cities of Chengdu, Deyang and Guangzhou.
The new tower in Shunde will be the tallest structure in the area, at a height of 200 meters, and will be a centerpiece of the business district. It will add valuable Class A office space and will be in close proximity to various cultural and government facilities in the city, making the structure a critical venue and focal point.
GP’s concept was to create an efficient, modern tower that integrates features of the local culture into the architectural expression of the building. Particularly inspired by the “pinwheel” patterns commonly found in the regional screens and paving, the tower’s planning and façade articulation are designed to showcase this traditional vernacular. Pinwheel-patterned perforated screens extend the full height of the tower in order to provide shading; more importantly though, they integrate and conceal fresh-air ventilation for all office floors. These screens, in conjunction with automated energy controls, high-performance glazing and vertical shading devices, create an energy-efficient skin that also provides floor-to-ceiling glass for all office users.
A multi-story winter garden is designed for the top of the structure, offering unobstructed views of the surroundings in all directions. This signature space will be lit at night to create a new beacon that provides identity for the Shunde business district. At the base, the tower is seated at the head of a ceremonial garden. The four-sided lobby is designed to engage the landscape, blurring the distinction between interior and exterior space while intuitively segregating vehicular and pedestrian circulation around the perimeter of the building.
Completion of the development is scheduled for 2014. +
Related Stories
Adaptive Reuse | Jul 30, 2024
Empty mall to be converted to UCLA Research Park
UCLA recently acquired a former mall that it will convert into the UCLA Research Park that will house the California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy at UCLA and the UCLA Center for Quantum Science and Engineering, as well as programs across other disciplines. The 700,000-sf property, formerly the Westside Pavilion shopping mall, is two miles from the university’s main Westwood campus. Google, which previously leased part of the property, helped enable and support UCLA’s acquisition.
Geothermal Technology | Jul 29, 2024
Rochester, Minn., plans extensive geothermal network
The city of Rochester, Minn., home of the famed Mayo Clinic, is going big on geothermal networks. The city is constructing Thermal Energy Networks (TENs) that consist of ambient pipe loops connecting multiple buildings and delivering thermal heating and cooling energy via water-source heat pumps.
High-rise Construction | Jul 29, 2024
Safdie Architects’ Shanghai office tower features glass-enclosed corner garden that ascends the 35-story structure
Safdie Architects has announced the completion of LuOne Mixed-Use Complex—a business, retail, and entertainment development in the Luwan district of Shanghai, China. The mixed-use complex consists of an eight-level retail galleria, which opened in 2018, and a 35-story office tower, which recently reached completion.
Casinos | Jul 26, 2024
New luxury resort casino will be regional draw for Shreveport, Louisiana area
Live! Casino & Hotel Louisiana, the first land-based casino in the Shreveport-Bossier market, recently topped off. The $270+ project will serve as a regional destination for world-class gaming, dining, entertainment, and hotel amenities.
Smart Buildings | Jul 25, 2024
A Swiss startup devises an intelligent photovoltaic façade that tracks and moves with the sun
Zurich Soft Robotics says Solskin can reduce building energy consumption by up to 80% while producing up to 40% more electricity than comparable façade systems.
Codes and Standards | Jul 25, 2024
GSA and DOE select technologies to evaluate for commercial building decarbonization
The General Services Administration and the U.S. Department of Energy have selected 17 innovative building technologies to evaluate in real-world settings throughout GSA’s real estate portfolio.
Great Solutions | Jul 23, 2024
41 Great Solutions for architects, engineers, and contractors
AI ChatBots, ambient computing, floating MRIs, low-carbon cement, sunshine on demand, next-generation top-down construction. These and 35 other innovations make up our 2024 Great Solutions Report, which highlights fresh ideas and innovations from leading architecture, engineering, and construction firms.
Senior Living Design | Jul 23, 2024
The growing importance of cultural representation in senior living communities
Perkins Eastman architect Mwanzaa Brown reflects on the ties between architecture, interior design, and the history and heritage of a senior living community’s population.
MFPRO+ News | Jul 22, 2024
Miami luxury condominium tower will have more than 50,000 sf of amenities
Continuum Club & Residences, a new 32-story luxury condominium tower in the coveted North Bay Village of Miami will feature more than 50,000 sf of indoor and outdoor amenities. The program includes a waterfront restaurant, dining terraces with resident privileges, and a private dining room outdoor pavilion.
Healthcare Facilities | Jul 22, 2024
5 healthcare building sector trends for 2024-2025
Interactive patient care systems and trauma-informed design are among two emerging trends in the U.S. healthcare building sector, according to BD+C's 2024 Healthcare Annual Report (free download; short registration required).