China Resources Tower

Shenzhen, China

Located in the center of the Houhai District in Shenzhen, the China Resources Tower anchors the master plan of a district bordered by Shenzhen Bay to the east, the Shenzhen Sports Complex to the north, and a linear greenbelt to the south. The development includes a sports center, a new building for the Science and Technology Museum and other mixed-use buildings. The tower also functions as a transportation hub, linking underground public transport.

The elegant 400-m. tower presents a bowing, tapered form that mimics a spring bamboo shoot emerging from the ground. The structure is a diagrid system of exterior columns that converge to create a series of entry portals on the lower section and converge at the top, where a soaring sky hall houses corporate events and offers spectacular views of Shenzhen Bay and the city. The circular plan and diagrid columns contract as the tower rises to allow for smaller floor plates for boutique offices on upper stories.