gmp architekten’s ‘greenland towers’ soar 284 meters into the sky above zhengzhou metropolis in eastern china. the silhouettes of the towers are characterized by the sky lobbies, recesses that are inserted offset at various levels. designed as public spaces in the vertical, the sky lobbies are prestigious amenity areas for the offices, providing the unusual experience of being able to enjoy an outside terrace at a height of up to 240 meters. in total, the greenland central plaza complex, which was built to plans by architects von gerkan, marg, and partners, comprises about 746,000 square meters of gross floor area.

 

the twin greenland towers by gmp architekten define the skyline of zhengzhou
sky lobby
all images courtesy of zeng jianghe unless otherwise stated

 

 

as the metropolis city of zhengzhou is constantly growing and developing, gmp’s greenland towers define the limit of the axis that leads from the new railway station to the center of the city. 284-meters high, the skyscrapers stand out of the surrounding skyline because they are much taller than the other high-rises in the vicinity.

the twin greenland towers by gmp architekten define the skyline of zhengzhou
view from the railway station

 

 

the 63 stories of the greenland towers accommodate mostly offices — one building comprises about 232,000 square meters, a comparatively large area for a high-rise building of this height, which is due to the very large area per floor of 4,000 square meters. this makes it possible to flexibly divide the floor area of each floor into up to 15 units.

the twin greenland towers by gmp architekten define the skyline of zhengzhou
aerial view

image © ZMG china

 

 

at their base, both towers have l-shaped plinth buildings that accommodate commercial functions to their side. by separating the towers from the plinth buildings, there is unrestricted access to the lobbies of the towers from all sides. in plan, the layout of the towers has been arranged offset in windmill fashion around the square core of the building. all offices benefit from natural ventilation via concealed openings in the facade profiles. with the sky lobbies on every eighth floor, the office towers have prestigious areas in the vertical that can be used in many different ways by the local companies.

the twin greenland towers by gmp architekten define the skyline of zhengzhou
view from the west

 

 

the top stories of the greenland towers accommodate the eight-floor sky atrium, which is reserved for exclusive functions: the so-called ‘sky commerce’ with restaurants, shops, and a spa extends across three floors next to the atrium. luxurious offices in the north tower and exclusive club facilities and apartments in the south tower make up the uppermost floors of the buildings. with the sky atrium, an attractive public venue has been created for art exhibitions and concerts, thus enriching vertical urban life in china with a new attraction at a height of 240 meters.

the twin greenland towers by gmp architekten define the skyline of zhengzhou
swimming pool in the spa

 

the twin greenland towers by gmp architekten define the skyline of zhengzhou
view of the façade

 

the twin greenland towers by gmp architekten define the skyline of zhengzhou
staircase in ‘sky atrium’ 

 

the twin greenland towers by gmp architekten define the skyline of zhengzhou
foyer

the twin greenland towers by gmp architekten define the skyline of zhengzhou
illumination by night

the twin greenland towers by gmp architekten define the skyline of zhengzhou
site plan
image© gmp architects

the twin greenland towers by gmp architekten define the skyline of zhengzhou
section, north tower
image © gmp architects

 

the twin greenland towers by gmp architekten define the skyline of zhengzhou
floor plan, level 1, north tower
image © gmp architects

 

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edited by: maria erman | designboom