Back in 2009, BIG in collaboration with ARUP and Transsolar won the international competition to design Shenzhen Energy Company's new office skyscraper. After six years of construction that began in 2012, the development has been completed at a time when Shenzhen is continuously evolving into “China's Silicon Valley”.
A 220-meter tower and a 120-meter tower are linked by a 34-meter, ground-level podium that houses the main lobbies, conference center, cafeteria, and exhibition space. The Shenzhen Energy Company's offices are located on the highest floors, while the remaining floors are rentable office space.
No stacked blocks to be seen in this BIG design this time around either. The towers feature an undulating envelope that creates “a rippled skin around both towers and breaks away from the traditional glass curtain wall,” BIG says.
The facade oscillates between transparency on one side and opacity on the other. “The sinuous direction of the facade corresponds to the solar orientation: it maximizes north-facing opening for natural light and views, while minimizing exposure on the sunny sides,” BIG says. “Even when the sun comes directly from the east or west, the main part of the solar rays is reflected off of the glass due to the flat angle of the windows.” The building's facade system is designed to reduce overall energy consumption without the need for moving parts or complicated technology.
The facade also has “two smooth deformations” that create large spaces for meeting rooms, executive clubs, and staff facilities, all provided with views of the city. As the sun sets, the changing transparency and curved lines give the building an almost wood-like appearance, according to BIG. Slits in the facade reveal peeks into glowing boardrooms and offices at night.
Bjarke Ingels describes the project as his firm's “first realized example of ‘engineering without engines’ — the idea that we can engineer the dependence on machinery out of our buildings and let architecture fulfill the performance.” The project “appears as a subtle mutation of the classic skyscraper and exploits the building’s interface with the external elements: sun, daylight, humidity and wind to create maximum comfort and quality inside.”
Find more photos and drawings in the gallery.
Project credits:
Partners-in-Charge: Bjarke Ingels, Andreas Klok Pedersen
Project Manager: Martin Voelkle Project Leaders: Song He, Andre Schmidt
Team: Alessio Zenaro, Alex Cozma, Alina Tamosiunaite, Alysen Hiller, Ana Merino, Andreas Geisler Johansen, Annette Jensen, Armor Rivas, Balaj IIulian, Brian Yang, Baptiste Blot, Buster Christiansen, Cat Huang, Cecilia Ho, Christian Alvarez, Christin Svensson, Claudia Hertrich, Claudio Moretti, Cory Mattheis, Dave Brown, Dennis Rasmussen, Doug Stechschulte, Eskild Nordbud, Fan Zhang, Felicia Guldberg, Flavien Menu, Fred Zhou, Gaetan Brunet, Gül Ertekin, Henrik Kania, Iris Van der Heide, James Schrader, Jan Magasanik, Jan Borgstrøm, Jeppe Ecklon, Jelena Vucic, João Albuquerque, Jonas Mønster, Karsten Hansen, Kuba Snopek, Malte Kloe, Mikkel Marcker Stubgaard, Michael Andersen, Michal Kristof, Min Ter Lim, Oana Simionescu, Nicklas A. Rasch, Philip Sima, Rasmus Pedersen, Rune Hansen, Rui Huang, Sofia Gaspar, Stanley Lung, Sun Ming Lee, Takuya Hosokai, Todd Bennett, Xi Chen, Xing Xiong, Xiao Lu, Xu Li, Yijie Dan, Zoltan Kalaszi
6 Comments
No annoying stacking blocks, energy-centered emphasis, I’ll take it. Why can’t BIG this for all projects?
What engines is this building doing without? There are a number of diffusers visible in the interior shots. Maybe don't quote the architects description if it isn't true? Or Maybe I'm mistaken and the diffusers aren't connected to an HVAC system and go straight outside...
Yeah, seems unfair to pick on them when so many others are probably less efficient, but I’d like to see more transparency across the board. Either way, seems like a typical big project — big diagram, small follow-through — but they ceded 90% of the process long ago (as opposed to architects like SHoP)
It's a groundbreaking green building.
Perception is far more important than reality.
That bulge should be the air inlet for the towers' natural ventilation system.
Ingels description of the energy mansion as ‘engineering without engines’ could be a way of saying the building has good feng shui.
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