Mixed-use tower in China features world’s highest outdoor pool

Guangxi China Resources Tower, a new 403-meter-tall (1,322 feet) skyscraper in Nanning, China features the world’s highest outdoor pool—at 323 meters (1,060 feet) above grade. The tower is the 18th tallest building in China and the 37th tallest in the world.

The architecture was inspired by the crystalline forms associated with the mountains of Guangxi. The structure’s faceted and fragmented geometry provides a multitude of surfaces that reflect the changing light qualities of the tropical sky. The character of the tower changes throughout the day, mirroring the mood of the city.

Horizontal sunshades delicately extend across the façade in a consistent texture, shading the floor-to-ceiling glass of the building’s interior spaces. This simple clarity of the façade results in a cohesive legibility of its angular geometry and creates a bold contrast to both the lush vegetation of the region and the surrounding mixture of architectural styles, according to a news release from Goettsch Partners (GP), the project’s design architect.

The 86-story tower anchors a 900,000-square-meter multifunctional transit-oriented development of retail, commercial office, residential, and luxury hospitality. The high-rise totals 272,260 square meters, composed of the 336-key Shangri-La Nanning hotel, 172,740 square meters of office space, and 5,930 square meters of retail space.

Located on the lower floors, the office program is distinguished with a single-sided taper of the south façade that strategically reduces the floor plate depths as the tower rises in response to the stepping core. Atop the office volume, a dramatic shift in the building profile occurs as the hotel program emerges. A terrace at Level 71 caps the lower volume and creates a unique outdoor sky space, featuring the hotel pool. Dramatic views of the surrounding lakes, parks, and mountains extend in all directions, enlivened by the 180-degree view from sunrise to sunset.

The complex includes interconnected podium and basement floors that form a cohesive network of buildings optimized to benefit the larger master planned development. External sunshades and a high-performance façade enclosure system help to reduce energy loads while delivering natural light and exceptional views to all floors. Optimized mechanical systems maximize the efficiency to minimize energy and water consumption while creating a comfortable indoor environment.

On the Building Team:
Owner and/or developer: China Resources Land Limited (CR Land)
Design architect: Goettsch Partners
Architect of record: CCDI Group
MEP engineer: Parsons Brinkerhoff
Structural engineer: RBS Architectural Engineering Design Associates
General contractor/construction manager: China Construction Eighth Engineering Division