Text description provided by the architects. After a decade of speedy developments, the structure of Shenzhen’s Central Business District (CBD) has begun to stabilize. However, every individual building is pursuing its own uniqueness and lacks sensitivity between urban dialogues. Therefore the urban center is losing its totality.

Part of east view. Image

Returning to the basic problem of high-rise buildings such as the use of energy saving technology, long-term sustainability, and clear and concise design approaches can make the design distinctive from the chaotic city centre and return to classic forms.

Space analysis

The architectural form and organization of space expresses the abstention from power and gives the CGN Headquarters a simple and concise figure from afar. The two tower blocks occupy the site eastwards, and interlock in plan and space. An image of two linked and interactive buildings is formed by fully utilizing the landscape at the East and West side. In this area, two blocks respond to each other and form a bracket in the air.

Part of east view. Image

Part of north tower. Image

The simplicity of the building facade texture conveys digital aesthetics. Modular windows repeat and vary throughout the skin, and become the main architectural vocabulary system. These windows vary in size, direction and depth, which gradually transform into grid fissions and extensions, supporting the floating public spaces. Based on these modular units, the spatial system of this gradient changes and partial upheaval acts as a metaphor for the fact that nuclear power is becoming a major energy industry.

Interior. Image

1f master plan

Interior. Image

At night, light travels through the grid, transforming the facade into a crystalline skin, and transferring the whole building into a screen that contains infinitive change. The dark metal facade emphasizes the corporal expression of CGN’s headquarters. The design exhibits the preciseness and solidity of a well-known technological enterprise, echoing its ambition of becoming a more international and future driven industry leader.

Part of east view. Image © Alex Chan

• Architects

  URBANUS

• Location

  The intersection of Shennan Avenue and Caitian Road, Futian District, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China

• Category

  Institutional Buildings

• Lead Architect

  Yan Meng

• Project Manager

  Xiaodong Xu

• Project Architect

  Enchen Rao, Zhen Zhang, Renqin Luo(Architecture) | Xiaolan Yu (Landscape)

• Design Team

  Lide Li, Chunying Wu, Yanhua Sun, Shengfen Xie(Architecture) | Ting Lin, Zhijiao Wei, Jie Liu(Landscape) | Jialin Zhu, Luoyi Xu (Technical Director)

• Area

  158458.0 m2

• Project Year

  2015

• Photographs

  Chaoying Yang, Alex Chan, Dayong Wang