John Portman & Associates (Portman) has been selected to design Tianlong Fortune Center, the first super tall skyscraper tower in Nanning, with a height of 1,312 feet (400 meters). The architectural design competition was led by developer Guangxi Wei Zhuang Real Estate Co., Ltd., and the Nanning Planning Bureau.
Located in the tropical southern portion of China, Nanning is the capital city of Guangxi province and serves as a regional leader in promoting unity among its neighbors in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Nanning has also hosted the annual China ASEAN Summit in previous years. This building will provide a new headquarters for member companies of the ASEAN Association. Envisioned as a finance and trade center that will be home to various banks and financial consultants, the tower will help spur the economic growth of Nanning and enhance the city’s international presence.
The upper portion of the tower includes a five-star atrium hotel while floors immediately above the hotel provide an exclusive executive club and destination restaurant. The level below the hotel lobby will feature a hotel’s fitness center, pool, restaurant, business center and other amenities. The remainder of the tower is office space.
A special observation complex providing a 360-degree view of the surrounding area features two major levels, one enclosed and another open to the sky in a rooftop garden. A full complement of visitor and tourist facilities will be available at the sky deck, including a gift shop and café.
In addition to the tower, the project includes a podium building connected to the tower via a dynamic glass “mixing box.” Anchored at each corner by banking halls, the eight-story podium building also contains restaurant, retail, fitness, entertainment and conference facilities, and features a roof top garden.
As the goal for this project was to create a unique and powerful symbol for Nanning, the architects created a simple compelling form that would be instantly recognizable all over the world. The high-profile project is to be located along Minzu Boulevard, the primary east-west corridor into Nanning’s central business district. Its unique form begins with a square base that widens out into an octagon in the middle, before elegantly tapering back into a square plan at the top. The glass facets created by the tower’s sculptural form symbolically reflect ASEAN’s logo, which depicts a bundle of harvested rice tied in the middle. +
Related Stories
Cultural Facilities | Nov 21, 2023
Arizona’s Water Education Center will teach visitors about water conservation and reuse strategies
Phoenix-based architecture firm Jones Studio will design the Water Education Center for Central Arizona Project (CAP)—a 336-mile aqueduct system that delivers Colorado River water to almost 6 million people, more than 80% of the state’s population. The Center will allow the public to explore CAP’s history, operations, and impact on Arizona.
MFPRO+ New Projects | Nov 21, 2023
An 'eco-obsessed' multifamily housing project takes advantage of downtown Austin’s small lots
In downtown Austin, Tex., architecture firm McKinney York says it built Capitol Quarters to be “eco-obsessed, not just eco-minded.” With airtight walls, better insulation, and super-efficient VRF (variable refrigerant flow) systems, Capitol Quarters uses 30% less energy than other living spaces in Austin, according to a statement from McKinney York.
MFPRO+ News | Nov 21, 2023
California building electrification laws could prompt more evictions and rent increases
California laws requiring apartment owners to ditch appliances that use fossil fuels could prompt more evictions and rent increases in the state, according to a report from the nonprofit Strategic Actions for a Just Economy. The law could spur more evictions if landlords undertake major renovations to comply with the electrification rule.
Codes and Standards | Nov 21, 2023
Austin becomes largest U.S. city to waive minimum parking requirements
Austin, Texas recently became the largest city in the United States to stop requiring new developments to set a minimum amount of parking. The Austin City Council voted 8-2 earlier this month to eliminate parking requirements in an effort to fight climate change and spur more housing construction as Texas’s capitol grapples with a housing affordability crisis.
MFPRO+ News | Nov 21, 2023
Underused strip malls offer great potential for conversions to residential use
Replacing moribund strip malls with multifamily housing could make a notable dent in the housing shortage and revitalize under-used properties across the country, according to a report from housing nonprofit Enterprise Community Partners.
Giants 400 | Nov 16, 2023
Top 100 Science + Technology Facility Architecture Firms for 2023
Gensler, HDR, Page Southerland Page, Flad Architects, and DGA top BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest science and technology (S+T) facility architecture and architecture/engineering (AE) firms for 2023, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report. Note: This ranking factors revenue from all science and technology (S+T) buildings work, including laboratories, research buildings, technology/innovation buildings, pharmaceutical production facilities, and semiconductor production facilities.
Resiliency | Nov 16, 2023
How inclusive design supports resilience and climate preparedness
Gail Napell, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, shares five tips and examples of inclusive design across a variety of building sectors.
Retail Centers | Nov 15, 2023
Should retail developers avoid high crime areas?
For retailers resolute to operating in high crime areas, design elements exist to mitigate losses and potentially deter criminal behavior.
MFPRO+ News | Nov 15, 2023
Average U.S multifamily rents drop $3 to $1,718 in October 2023: Yardi Matrix
Multifamily fundamentals continued to soften and impact rents last month, according to the latest Yardi Matrix National Multifamily Report. The average U.S. asking rent dropped $3 to $1,718 in October, with year-over-year growth moderating to 0.4%, down 40 basis points from September. Occupancy slid to 94.9%, marking the first decline in four months.
MFPRO+ Special Reports | Nov 14, 2023
Register today! Key trends in the multifamily housing market for 2024 - BD+C Live Webinar
Join the BD+C and Multifamily Pro+ editorial team for this live webinar on key trends and innovations in the $110 billion U.S. multifamily housing market. A trio of multifamily design and construction experts will present their latest projects, trends, innovations, and data/research on the three primary multifamily sub-sectors: rental housing, senior living, and student housing.
