Foster + Partners has released details of their proposed China Merchants Bank HQ in Shenzhen. The soaring 350-meter tower, intended to house the bank’s 13,000-strong workforce, will be complemented by a sister tower 180 meters in height, containing a luxury hotel and mixed-use office, cultural, and retail spaces.
The taller office tower is comprised of large-span column-free floorplates supported by offset cores at either side. A glazed façade has been shaped to avoid downdrafts, thus making the surrounding open spaces on the ground floor more comfortable for the public.
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As part of the complex, a green plaza has been designed linking the towers to the Shenzhen Bay waterfront, lined with shops and restaurants, while the north side of the building links to the metro. At the podium level, a gallery area for art will sit alongside sport and fitness facilities for employees.
The tower’s peak is arranged around a quadruple-height atrium, offering gallery and event space alongside meeting and dining areas, with sweeping views across Shenzhen Bay. Meanwhile, the building’s cores have been located towards the east and west to reduce solar gain, while rainwater harvesting systems will be installed to meet 70`% of the building’s water needs.
We are delighted to have been chosen by China Merchants Bank to design and engineer their new headquarters in Shenzhen Bay. The tower’s design represents a significant step in the evolution of the workplace, which we have evolved in close partnership with the client to create a highly flexible floorplate that can be adjusted to their fast-changing needs and provide an excellent working environment for their staff. The building will be a symbol of the bank’s premier status in the industry, embodying its strong legacy while looking firmly towards the future.
-Grant Brooker, Head of Studio, Foster + Partners
News of the scheme follows on from the unveiling of several other major works by Foster + Partners, notably a tulip-shaped tower for central London, and a “glittering” flagship stadium for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
News via: Foster + Partners
