NEWS 5
Images © Seth Powers Photography GLASS WALLING SOM’s ‘Breathing’ Shenzhen Tower
Building on Skidmore, Owings & Merrill’s (SOM) tradition of innovative engineering, the design for Shenzhen Rural Commercial Bank’s new 158 metre tall, 33-storey headquarters incorporates a distinctive external diagrid that signifi cantly reduces solar gain. Inside, responsive solar shading technology and natural airfl ow enhance staff wellbeing. The tower’s facade is defi ned by an external diagrid, which serves as both the building’s structure as well as an important solar shading element. At its base, the diagrid widens to create framed openings and views to the surrounding park and South China Sea. Inside, responsive solar shading technology and natural airfl ow enhance staff wellbeing.
Drawing upon principles from Feng Shui, in which water and wealth are intrinsically linked, the lobby is encircled by a refl ecting pool and features a rippling wall of water adjacent to the main entrance. A 15 metre high “rain curtain,” with droplets of water
ADF MARCH 2022
that ‘cascade’ down small translucent fi laments, lines the lobby’s transparent glass walls. On hot days, these water features provide an evaporative cooling effect for the entire building. Suspended lighting fi xtures mimic droplets of rain and the lobby’s marble walls shift from a textured to honed fi nish to ‘evoke’ water’s effect on stone. Earth, water and air fi gure prominently in the building features, from the multistory rain curtain to the striated marble cladding, and the natural ventilation system. Refl ecting pools, grey granite paving and seating areas, as well as an array of trees and ground cover defi ne the main entrance spaces and small gardens at the base of the tower. This tactile experience at ground level transitions and becomes more atmospheric as one progresses up the tower to the open fl oor plans and “fl oating” diagrid above. At the crown of the tower, operable walls and an outdoor
deck blur distinctions between indoor and outdoor spaces. Two vertical atria span the height of the
tower. On each fl oor, employees can use louvres to open and close vents, accessing fresh air from the atria. This allows the building to “breathe” when Shenzhen’s climate is pleasant, fi lling the entire building with fresh air. By functioning like airways in a body and cycling fresh air throughout the building, these features generate signifi cant savings in environmental and energy effi ciency. This system prioritizes tenant comfort and wellbeing to a degree typically unheard of in offi ce environments. Interior spaces are defi ned by a minimal glass perimeter wall and a daylight-responsive shading system, with a communicating stairway running the height of the tower, fostering connectivity and collaboration among coworkers.
The Shenzhen Rural Commercial Bank Headquarters is LEED Platinum and is targeting China Green Star certifi cation.
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