British architectural design and engineering firm Foster + Partners has unveiled designs for a 350m global headquarters of China Merchants Bank in Shenzhen, China.
The office tower is the first building to be approved in Shenzhen’s new Super Headquarters District and will bring the company’s 13,000-strong workforce under one roof.
The design, complemented by a 180m luxury hotel and office mixed-use tower, cultural and retail amenities, and green connections to the waterfront, is expected to make a positive contribution to the Shenzhen Bay Area.
Foster + Partners partner Young Wei-Yang Chiu said: “The tower forms part of a new complex that connects with the next phase of the Shenzhen Bay development, featuring a well-connected urban square linked with the metro, retail, cultural spaces and Shenzhen Bay’s amazing waterfront.”
The 310,000m² office tower will feature large-span column-free floorplates supported by offset cores on either side, which will maximise flexibility in planning the office spaces, while allowing the building to be lifted off the ground at ground level to create seamless connections with the outside.
The glazed façade has been designed to avoid downdrafts and make open spaces on the ground floor more comfortable for pedestrians.
Lined with shops and restaurants, the green plaza will link to the waterfront and the north side of the building will provide a direct link to the metro.
The podium level will feature a gallery area for art alongside sport and fitness facilities for employees.
Foster + Partners head of studio Grant Brooker said: “We are delighted to have been chosen by China Merchants Bank to design and engineer their new headquarters in Shenzhen Bay.
“The tower’s design represents a significant step in the evolution of the workplace, which we have evolved in close partnership with the client to create a highly flexible floorplate that can be adjusted to their fast-changing needs and provide an excellent working environment for their staff.”
The top of the building will be open to the bank’s customers and invited members of the public, and will be arranged around a quadruple height atrium, offering a gallery and event space alongside executive meeting and dining areas against the backdrop of the Shenzhen Bay.
The location of the split cores towards the east and west is expected to help reduce solar gain and the rainwater harvesting systems will meet up to 70% of the water demand.