hanking center tower by morphosis architects tops out

with the slab for the 62nd floor now in place, the major structure for shenzhen’s ‘hanking center tower’ has topped out. designed by morphosis architects, the skyscraper soars to a height of 1,150 feet (350 meters) and contains commercial office space above a base of high-end retail and dining. ‘as the new icon for the high-tech industrial sector, the hanking center tower is designed as an incubator for emerging technologies, providing for growing firms with evolving space requirements,’ explain the architects.

the skyscraper soars to a height of 1,150 feet (350 meters)
image by morphosis architects

significantly, morphosis has positioned the high-rise’s primary core outside the main body of the tower. this ensures greater internal flexibility and allows light to penetrate deeper into the floorplate. the core and main body are separated by a distance of 18 feet (9 meters) and are traversed by skybridges. every five floors, glazed lobbies and skygardens create communal hubs that can be used by all tenants.

the building will contain commercial office space above a base of high-end retail and dining
image by morphosis architects

the slender profile of the tower occupies a prominent plot on shennan boulevard, redefining the region’s skyline. at ground level, a landscaped plaza forms a new neighborhood landmark that enhances street activity. above, the podium — which contains the scheme’s public programming — features folded angles that allow the lower storeys to engage with the verticality of the tower above.

the structure is currently receiving a glazed cladding
image by morphosis architects

the tower itself is defined by its pioneering steel structural system, which offsets the primary movement and service cores to the exterior of the floorplate. this minimizes the building’s structural footprint, while maximizing open space. meanwhile, two secondary cores provide structural reinforcement and house private elevators for VIP users, as well as freight elevators and mechanical services.

when complete in 2018, the tower will be the tallest steel building in china, and the tallest detached core building in the world.

the tower’s core and main body are separated by a distance of 18 feet (9 meters)
image by morphosis architects

rendering illustrating how the completed project will look
image by morphosis architects

folded angles allow the lower storeys to engage with the tower above
image by luxigon

the podium contains the scheme’s public programming
image by luxigon

a stairway doubles as a communal area of seating
image by luxigon

when complete in 2018, the tower will be tallest steel building in china
image by luxigon

project info:

location: shenzhen, china
client: hanking group
site area: 2.7 acres / 1.1 hectares
size: 2,000,000 gross ft2 / 185,806 gross m2
program: commercial office, high-end retail, and restaurants
design: 2012 – 2014
construction: 2014 – 2017
projected opening date: 2018
type: commercial

morphosis team
design director: thom mayne
project principal: eui-sung yi
project manager: hann-shiuh chen
project architect: mario cipresso, amit upadhye, jamie wu
project designers: daniel pruske, ben toam, natalia traverso-caruana
advanced technology: cory brugger, kerenza harris, stan su
project team: ilaria campi, sarah kott, daniel leone, michael nesbit, atsushi sugiuchi, kwo wang
project assistants: natalie abbott, viola ago, marco becucci, paul cambon, carmelia chiang, sam clovis, tom day, ryan docken, chris eskew, bart gillespie, greg gyulai, parham hakimi, yoon her, onejae lee, jonathan kaminsky, hunter knight, katie macdonald, nicole meyer, carolyn ng, sille pihlak,
jon rieke, ari sogin, derrick whitmire, pablo zunzunegui
visualization: jasmine park, nathan skrepcinski, sam tannenbaum

consultants
associate architect: zhubo design
structural: halvorson + partners, chicago
structural concepts: john a. martin & associates, inc.
MEP / fire protection: parsons brinckerhoff
MEP / façade concepts: stantec
façade: SuP ingenieure gmbh, darmstadt, germany
vertical transportation: parsons brinckerhoff
visualization: aveson, luxigon
general tower consultant: w.erk studios