by Brianna Crandall — December 7, 2012—International architecture firm Goettsch Partners (GP) was chosen to design the new Poly Business Tower in Shunde, China, which will integrate vernacular design elements with modern technology to create an “elegant and sophisticated” addition to the city’s skyline. Totaling 110,000 square meters, the project is one of several current assignments between GP and leading Chinese developer Poly Real Estate (Group) Co., Ltd. Other office, hotel and mixed-use developments are located in the cities of Chengdu, Deyang and Guangzhou.
The new signature tower in Shunde will be the tallest structure in the area, at a height of 200 meters, and will be a centerpiece of the business district. It will add valuable Class A office space and will be in close proximity to various cultural and government facilities in the city, making the structure a critical venue and focal point. According to Goettsch Partners, the firm’s goal is to design modern and environmentally responsible buildings that clearly reflect their function and context. The firm says it is driven by its pursuit of excellence and inventive solutions that embrace performance and bold design.
GP’s concept was to create an efficient, modern tower that integrates features of the local culture into the architectural expression of the building. Particularly inspired by the “pinwheel” patterns commonly found in the regional screens and paving, the tower’s planning and façade articulation are designed to showcase this traditional vernacular. Pinwheel-patterned perforated screens extend the full height of the tower in order to provide shading; more importantly though, they integrate and conceal fresh-air ventilation for all office floors. These screens, in conjunction with automated energy controls, high-performance glazing and vertical shading devices, create an energy-efficient skin that also provides floor-to-ceiling glass for all office users.
A multistory winter garden is designed for the top of the structure, offering unobstructed views of the surroundings in all directions. This signature space will be lit at night to create a new beacon that provides identity for the Shunde business district. At the base, the tower is seated at the head of a ceremonial garden. The four-sided lobby is designed to engage the landscape, blurring the distinction between interior and exterior space while intuitively segregating vehicular and pedestrian circulation around the perimeter of the building.
Completion of the development is scheduled for 2014.
Goettsch Partners (GP) is an innovative architecture firm with a global perspective, emphasizing a singular design approach across offices in Chicago, Shanghai and Abu Dhabi. GP is working in more than 20 cities throughout Asia on commercial projects including office buildings, hotels and mixed-use developments. Select work in China includes the Tianjin R&F Guangdong Tower in Tianjin, China; the Park Hyatt Guangzhou Mixed-Use Tower in Guangzhou, China; the Grand Hyatt Chengdu at Chicony Plaza in Chengdu, China; and the China Diamond Exchange Center in Shanghai.
