New York, NY
CITIC Headquarters
Located at the core of Beijing’s new 30-hectare central business district, CITIC Tower is the tallest building and a new icon of the capital.
CITIC Tower’s design draws inspiration from the “zun”, a ritual vessel originating in Bronze Age China. In profile, the tower abstracts and refines the zun’s vase-like form, balancing composition and articulation with structural requirements and leasing depth needs. In plan, the building is square with rounded corners; its width transforms vertically from its 78-meter-wide base to its 54-meter-wide “waist” to its 69-meter-wide top. Broader at its base than its crown, the tower combines its iconography with infrastructure that supports the building’s integrity in China’s greatest seismic zone.
These sweeping proportions meet the ground with particular finesse. The lobby’s distinct upward curve mirrors the tower’s fluted, outward drape in the opposite direction, providing a dramatic backdrop to the pedestrian experience. The interior canopy features bespoke aluminum ribbing that follows its curvature and echoes the tower’s elegant façade expression.
CITIC Tower anchors the northern end of the city's CBD, forming an iconic backdrop to the park and a prominent new destination for visitors. The tower also connects to a vast underground transportation network, linking together a pedestrian passageway system, a B2-level roadway, and four subway lines across three stations.
Status: Built
Location: Beijing, CN
Firm Role: Architect
Additional Credits: Client: CITIC Heye Investment
LDI: Beijing Institute of Architectural Design
Land Bid Concept: TFP Farrells
