EID Architecture has been selected as one of the two finalists in an international competition for designing the 518-meters-tall tower in Fuzhou, China. Located at a prominent riverfront site in Fuzhou, Shimao North Riverfront Tower will become a dramatic centerpiece of a burgeoning new business district within the city. The design of Shimao North Riverfront Tower explores sensible approaches to supertall building today. In contrast to many form-driven towers, Shimao Fuzhou Tower aims to integrate the architectural concept with structure optimization, whilst creating an iconic and futuristic landmark with remarkable efficiency and contextual sensibility.

Soaring into the sky at 518 meters in height, with total building area around 437,200 square meters, the Shimao Fuzhou Tower consists of office spaces, service apartment, Conrad Hotel and an observation deck at upper portion of the towering shaft. A 7-level podium comprises of retail, culture venues and hotel amenities such as museum, ball room and conference center. It provides direct access to subway station at two below grade levels. The roof terrace features a large amphitheater-like space. This site is further delineated into a sequence of event places, ranging from sunken plaza, sculpture garden and landscaped gathering place for casual encounter and recreational activities. It provides a pedestrian friendly and permeable urban interface, anchoring a rich and multi-layered public realm experiences with an urban gesture.

A key feature of the tower design is the introduction of two intertwining and twisting volumes, gently tapering towards the top, creating a dynamic and futuristic sculptural form. The tower’s elegant tapered form is inspired by natural surroundings of the site, such as the rolling hill topography and flowing watercourse. It also melds a contemporary aesthetic inspired by the traditional Chinese landscape paintings and artifacts. A transformation of the curvilinear organic envelope is understood through the nature of its relationship with its direct neighborhood. While the overall silhouette of tower remains unique and restrained within the city’s skyline, the façade becomes more ambitious and dynamic in the middle and bottom portions of its massing. A highly efficient floor plan configuration is achieved by limiting the twisting moves as surface manipulation.

Collaborating with structural engineers from Arup, an innovative structure solution was achieved through outrigger trusses coupled with columns of mega-structure system. Working with the twisting envelope, this optimized structural system is engineered to remove the diagonal frames typically associated with the mega-structure. It provides maximum structural efficiency and minimizing the interference to the views by the diagonals. The organic and curvilinear form of the façade is approximated by two dimensional flat panels through parametric design. The substantial amount of white metal panels on the façade contributes to energy performance of the building and reduces the light pollutions caused by glass curtain walls. Other sustainable strategies incorporated into the design include photo-voltaic panels, water harvesting system, recycled building materials and external shading panels.  

As one of the tallest building currently under development in China, the Shimao Fuzhou Tower demonstrates a holistic approach for designing tall buildings, integrating architecture design with structural optimization, along with cultural and environmental sensitivity. It will act as a catalyst in transforming the North Riverfront district into a vibrant urban center.