TORRE EXCELLENCE HOUHAI

The Shenzhen High Rise “Bamboo Tower” is located in Shenzhen, the main city of Southern China's Guangdong Province. It is situated immediately north of Hong Kong. The area became China's first—and arguably one of the most successful—Special Economic Zones. Shenzhen's novel and modern cityscape is the result of the vibrant economy made possible by rapid foreign investment. The client, Excellence Group, the largest property developer in the Chinese city of Shenzhen's Central Business District, requested a tower of 90,000 m2 and 220 m high with a comercial and office program. The floor plan of the “Bamboo tower” is like a "soft square". Each floor is slightly different in shape from the next, but has approximately the same surface area. The tower gives the impression of "rotating". Structural Pillars are perimetral, touching the interior and exterior façade. In section they are slightly arched. This is obtained by a polygonal module system: (segments of straight pillars every floor). External vertical glass supports are cladded in steel and they look like "bamboo" from a distance. In Benedetta Tagliabue´s words: “This project has a strong iconic component and responds to a peculiar geometry, which reflects an effect of torsion and is distantly inspired by the apparent movement of the wicker panels of the spanish pavillion in Shangai.” EMBT proposed materials like bamboo or ceramic, however the developer is more inclined towards a Steel and glass combination. Therefore, EMBT have experimented with designs which take inspiration from the bamboo and represent it through the clients prefered materials.