KPF recently shared with us their latest design for a 530 meter mixed-use tower in Guangzhou’s Zhujiang Xincheng CBD – the CTF Guangzhou – which is currently under construction. Joining an already impressive skyline, the new tower will form an urban triumvirate with its immediate neighbors – the 440 meter International Finance Center and the 600 meter Canton Tower.
The form of the tower is informed by its internal program through setbacks at four primary transition levels; starting with the office to residential, residential to hotel, hotel to crown, and lastly crown to sky. With each step in the buildings form, the floorplate is reduced in response to its internal programming and the revealed rooftop space is utilized as an outdoor sky terrace for tenants.
The façade system incorporates a white terracotta vertical “mullion” system inspired by the long tradition of Chinese ceramic craft. Serving multiple functions, the terracotta façade element serves to conceal operable windows, LED lighting, window washing tracks, as well as provide solar shading. Visually, the white vertical lines juxtapose the white torqued structure of the Canton Tower and the IFC’s internal diagrid.
Be sure to check back as progress continues for updates to Guangzhou’s impressive skyline that is sprouting new supertalls at an astonishing pace.
