CTBUH Journal International Journal on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat

Tall buildings: design, construction, and operation | 2012 Issue III

China Special Issue: 9th World Congress

Greenland’s “Breathing Tower” in Wujiang

China’s Advanced Façade Technologies

Details on China’s Unique Linked Towers

Special Report: China’s New Economy

Meet the President of

Inside the China Broad Group

Special Issue Sponsored by: Inside

News and Events Features 12 Case Study: Greenland’s Center, Wujiang A Unique Collaboration Results in “Breathing” Tower in the province of China (see Figure 2), level, separate lobbies ensure that each use the building’s dynamic tapering form can operate independently. The latest project in the long partnership between Skidmore, Owings & Merrill eff ectively unifi es its offi ce and residential and the Greenland Group, a 358-meter tower in Wujiang, incorporates passive uses within a gently curved volume that Shaped by the prevailing views, prominent th ventilation techniques into the design to create a unique interior “lung.” culminates in a 30-story tall opening which wind direction and environmental marks the tower’s presence on the city skyline. performance factors, the design and 02 This Issue 32 9 World Congress Shanghai In today’s world of increasingly sophisticated setting precedents for the design of tall positioning of the tower contribute to design technology, it is rare to fi nd an buildings in China and throughout the world. Like many of the SOM towers now being defi ning a place of memorable and lasting established architect/client partnership that designed for Greenland, this building is in the value. The design takes full advantage of its Ross Wimer William Baker has consistently advanced the innovation of This paper focuses on the most recent fi rst phase of a new development that unique and dramatic location immediately Timothy Johnson, Speaker Program tall building design. Capitalizing on their addition to the team’s collaborative portfolio. encompasses many city blocks. It needs to be adjacent to the lake as well as the pedestrian successful collaboration on At 358 meters, Greenland Group Suzhou the catalyst that encourages other developers promenade which defi nes the heart of the (formerly Greenland Financial Center), Center marks the Wujiang waterfront with an to follow. Since the adjacent blocks have yet Wujiang central business . The the architecture, engineering, interior design aerodynamic form that has a unique to be developed, the Suzhou Center will designers’ decision to orient the tower in the and urban planning fi rm of Skidmore, Owings presence, while accommodating its program function as a “city within the city.” With offi ce, east-west direction is in direct response to CTBUH Chairman & Merrill (SOM) has since partnered with with economy and effi ciency. The design retail, residential and hotel uses, the complex two environmental factors–the wind and sun. Shanghai’s Greenland Group on several incorporates passive ventilation techniques is active throughout the day. Although Elongating the tower in the east-west Mark Nagis Aaron Mazeika important, high-profi le additions to the through a unique interior “lung,” creating an housing a mix of uses within a tower is a direction takes advantage of solar radiation at Greenland portfolio: Zhengzhou Greenland effi cient “breathing” tower. complex task to design and construct, by the times of the day when it is most benefi cial, Authors Plaza, Jiangxi Nanchang Greenland Central stacking the uses and providing shuttle while minimizing the impact when it is least Ross Wimer, Director Plaza Parcel A, Jiangxi Nanchang Greenland elevators to access sky lobbies for each advantageous. 46 Tall Buildings in Numbers William Baker, Partner Zifeng, Greenland Center Dawangjing and Site and Context program, the core works effi ciently. At ground Mark Nagis, Associate Figure 1. Greenland Group Suzhou Center, Wujiang. © Aaron Mazeika, Associate Director Greenland Group Suzhou Center, as well as SOM Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM) several design competitions (see an overview With a total building area of more than 224 S. Michigan Ave., #1000 Chicago, IL 60604, United States of these projects at the end of this article). 284,000 square meters, Greenland Group 04 CTBUH Latest The Tallest 15 Cities in China t: +1 312 554 9090 These towers are designed to anchor large Suzhou Center will become the defi ning Site and Context e: [email protected]; [email protected]; developments and act as world-class visual landmark for the new Wujiang lakefront [email protected]; [email protected] 1 Lake Taihu www.som.com monuments within these new districts, while development and, by extension, for the city as 2 Regional Bus Depot also introducing new technologies that are a whole. Sited prominently along Lake Taihu 3 Primary Pedestrian Paths Ross Wimer has created innovative architectural 4 Panoramic View to the South projects in over 20 cities on fi ve continents. Although 5 Retail Podium Antony Wood, 6 Local Elevated Train Stop the majority of these designs are for large scale mixed-use programs such as Leamouth Peninsula 7 Central Retail Plaza & Media Wall in London, Infi nity Tower in Dubai, and White 8 Ballroom Drop-off Magnolia Plaza in China, his projects are dramatically 9 Hotel Drop-off diverse. Since joining SOM in 1995, he has worked to 10 Office Drop-off 12 integrate the rigor and logic of engineering into his 11 Retail Drop-off designs. Environmental sustainability and expressive 12 Panoramic View to the North CTBUH Executive Director 48 Talking Tall: Navigating the structure typically help defi ne the aesthetic of his 13 Local Bus Stop architecture, which can be seen in projects such as 14 Prevailing Summer Wind Zhengzhou Greenland Plaza. 15 Primary Development Axis 4 William Baker is a Structural Engineering Partner at SOM and a member of the CTBUH Board of Trustees. Throughout his career, Bill has dedicated Approval Process for Tall himself to structural innovation. His best known 1 contribution has been to develop the “buttressed core” structural system for the , the world’s tallest manmade structure. While widely regarded for his work on supertall buildings, his expertise also 8 extends to long-span roof structures, such as the 3 5 Virginia Beach Convention Center, as well as specialty 7 9 15 05 Debating Tall: Is China’s Buildings in China, structures like Broadgate-Exchange House. 10 2 Mark Nagis has had the opportunity to work on diverse and innovative architectural projects throughout the Middle East and Asia. Notable 11 projects include the Greenland Central Plaza, a pair of 13 289 meter tall towers in Nanchang, China, as well as Property Bubble Ready to Brian Lee the Greenland Group Suzhou Center. Aaron Mazeika has led the structural engineering team in the design of over 30 high-rise towers in 6 14 China. Notable projects include the New Poly Plaza in , China, which features the world’s largest cable-net supported glass façade, and the Al Hamra Figure 2. Suzhou Center contextual plan. © SOM Burst? Tower in Kuwait City, Kuwait. 1212 || Greenland's GreGGrGreenland'sr enlennln andaannd'ss Suzhou SuzSSuSuzhouuzzhouhhoouo Center, CeCCenter,ententeter,r ,Wujiang WujWuWWujiangujjiananng CTBUHCCTCTBCTBUHTTBUHUH JournalJou ouoJournalurnarnanal | | 201220121 IssueIsIssuesueu IIIIIIII CTBUH Journal | 2012 Issue III Greenland's Suzhou Center, Wujiang | 13 52 Design Research 06 Global News Hi-Rise, Lo-Carb Highlights from the CTBUH global news archive 54 Inside the China Broad 26 Research: China’s Unique Linked Towers Finding Structural Solutions by Connecting Towers Featured linked towers Group A study of a number of linked high-rise towers in China finds designs Pazhou 1301 & 1401 Developments, Guangzhou anchored by innovative, unimposing structural solutions, which address issues Both towers comprise two very slender blocks linked by a common lift corridor of costs and buildability. More than simply making a dramatic visual statement, the links play an integral role in the buildings’ functions. Height: 100 m ( Block 1301),120 m (Block 1401) Total Area: 74,000 sq m (Block 1301), 100,000 sq m (Block 1401) Antony Wood Confi gurations: 5 levels of podium & 3 levels of basement (Block 1301), Linked towers are still a rarity in the design of solving a number of problems and off ering 4 levels of podium & 2 levels of basement (Block 1401) . Perhaps the most famous is the new opportunities in the design and usage of Andrew Luong Michael Kwok Primary Use: Offi ce (Block 1301), Hotel (Block 1401) Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, but the buildings including: Client: Guangzhou ZhanHui Real Estate Development the linkage in the Petronas served as more Design Architect: Aedas Authors than just an architectural gesture. Structurally ƒ providing better masterplanning and Andrew Luong, Director Michael Kwok, Director there is little purpose to the skybridge, massing relationship in the site and to the Arup although the link it is an integral part of the neighboring architecture; Block 1301. © Aedas 39/F–41/F Huaihai Plaza fi re evacuation strategy and allows facilities to ƒ eff ective use of a limited and constrained 1045 Huaihai Road Shanghai 200031 be shared between the two towers over those site; Ningbo Gate China several levels, in addition to off ering an ƒ increasing fl oor plate size; Figure 2. Ningbo Gate. © RSHP Two very slender tower blades connected through a common lift corridor t: +86 21 6126 2888 observation deck, a popular attraction. ƒ providing a functional link of the two Case Study e: [email protected] CTBUH Height: 152 m Traditionally, the structural treatment for such connecting towers, where the link structure The Pazhou projects, Block 1301 and Block www.arup.com Confi gurations: 2 levels of podium & 2 levels of basement linkage bridges has been to design them to houses an important functional allocation 1401, are characterized by emphatic building Primary Use: Residential Andrew Luong “breathe,” through the use of movement joints of the overall architectural program of the forms which are a play on the massing of Client: Ningbo Hongtai Real Estate Development Co., Ltd Andrew is a Director with Arup in China and he or clever articulation, allowing the two buildings. In fact in all of these buildings, monolithic blocks ruffl ed in the vertical Design Architect: Rogers, Stirk, Harbour, and Partners (RSHP) leads the Arup Structures team in Shanghai. Andrew connecting towers to act independently. the link is a critical part of the building, (podium part of the buildings) and horizontal LDI: Ningbo Architectural Design & Research Institute has over 17 years of experience and has worked in © RSHP diff erent parts of the world including Australia, without which it will not work functionally. (tower part of the buildings) directions. With Kong, London, India and China. He has an in-depth knowledge of design codes from diff erent parts of Recently a number of high-rise projects in the 1301 tower housing offi ces and the 1401 Shenzhen Energy Headquarters Building the world, and has a holistic, inter-disciplinary ap- China have taken the connected form beyond tower designed as a hotel (see Figure 1), the Two offi ce towers linked at the podium 12 Greenland’s Suzhou Center, 59 CTBUH on the Road proach to the design and management of projects, the mere passage link. These projects have Function through Form architectural designs have successfully from inception through to construction. Height: North Tower – 208.5 m, South Tower – 100 m been bold and innovative in developing the produced two very diff erent buildings with a He has made key contributions to a number of award- Confi gurations: Linkage structure connects the two towers at podium winning, landmark and complex buildings including link as part of the overall building design, as Several of the China projects illustrate the way common aspiration of showcasing slender, level from levels 2 to 9, 4 levels of basement Two International Finance Centre, Beijing Olympic well as an architectural expression and the links in the towers can serve important solid structural blocks linked by light common Green Convention Centre, CCTV New Headquarters Primary Use: Offi ce Beijing, Hong Kong International Airport Terminal 2, symbolic use, such as that of a gateway. The roles within the building design beyond circulation corridors. In the process, the linked Client: Shenzhen Energy Group Co. Ltd. Wujiang CTBUH events around the Rajiv Gandhi Airport, Hyderabad, and City University Design Architect: Bjarke Ingels Group links in these projects serve a greater role, aesthetics. blocks address the issues associated with a of Hong Kong Multi-media Building. long rectangular fl oor, while providing © BIG Michael Kwok adequate but not excessive fl oor depth, Michael Kwok is a Director with Arup in China and Hong Kong. He is also a member of Arup Group Board plenty of external frontages and a naturally lit Suzhou “Gate to the East” and East Asia Board. He is a member of the Institu- internal atrium. Twin towers linked at the top Ross Wimer, William Baker, world tion of Structural Engineer in the UK and Registered Structural Engineer (Class 1) in the People’s Republic Height: 280 m of China. He has been in-charge of a number of major In a similar manner to the Pazhou buildings, projects in China from inception to completion, Stories: 61 stories (Tower 1), 67 stories(Tower 20 including the National Stadium (Bird’s Nest), CCTV the Ningbo Gate tower form shows off the Confi gurations: 8 stories linkage structure at the top 40 m & 5 levels of New Headquarter Building, China World Trade Centre two slender wings of the building, with basement Phase 3 and Beijing Capital International Airport Primary Use: Offi ce & hotel (Tower 1), Residential (Tower 2) Terminal 3; Korean Pavilion and Danish Pavilion of minimal linkage. Like Pazhou, the linkage in Mark Nagis & Aaron Mazeika Architect: RMJM Shanghai World Expo; Ningbo is driven by the architectural intention Square and Shenzhen Energy Building. Michael © RMJM graduated with a Bachelor Degree in Civil Engineer- to arrange the two residential wings of the ing from Imperial College in the UK in 1984. He joined building between a “minimal” vertical China Central Television New Headquarters, Beijing Arup in 1986 and since then he has been involved in Sloping twin towers connected at the base, and the top by a 14-story many large scale building and infrastructure projects circulation core (see Figure 2). The building “cranked” cantilevering link structure to form a three-dimensional loop in Hong Kong and in China. His expertise covers a inhabitants step out of the lifts before heading 59 Diary wide range of projects including commercial, resi- dential, retail, hotel and leisure, transport terminal, to one of the building wings. The link serves Height: 234 m railway station and sports buildings. Michael has the function of both vertical and horizontal Total Area: 450,000 sq m been working on projects in China since 1992. He set up Arup offi ces in Shanghai, Beijing, Wuhan and circulation. Confi gurations: 9 story cranked podium links bottom of two towers & Chongqing, and he is responsible for developing 3 levels of basement Arup’s business and operation in Mainland China. Primary Use: Mixed use television production, broadcasting and Upcoming tall building Notably the Pazhou and Ningbo projects are offi ces not truly linked towers. However they are Client: China Central Television © OMA clearly a breakaway from the single building Design Architect: Offi ce for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) Figure 1. Pazhou 1401. © Aedas

events 26 | China’s Unique Linked Towers CTBUH Journal | 2012 Issue III CTBUH Journal | 2012 Issue III China’s Unique Linked Towers | 27 Research 60 Reviews 20 The Emergence of Advanced Review of new books in the Façades in China CTBUH Library 40 Special Report: China 2012 Big Shifts Ahead as China Enters New Era With so many factors buff eting the economy, China’s economic growth slipped to 8.1% in Developers Eyeing New Marc Zobec, Massimiliano Report by Kevin Brass, CTBUH Public Aff airs Manager the fi rst quarter of 2012, the fi fth consecutive Markets, New Cities quarter of slowing expansion. The decreasing Reports out of China these days are a jumble rapidly forming middle class, a new has been wrestling with its own issues. “With rate of growth is expected to continue China’s slowing residential market is But developers are shifting their focus to of mixed messages and confl icting imagery. generation of well-educated Chinese with the European Union accounting for one-third through the rest of 2012, led by sliding prices attracting headlines, but other segments of Tier Two and Three cities, which are trying Fanzaga & Zhihong Liao One night network business news programs disposable income. of global import demand, a recession there and slower sales in residential housing. Some the property industry continue to surge. to woo regional operations away from the 61 Comments spotlight video of empty shopping malls and will inevitably take its toll on East Asia,” the analysts are even more pessimistic. Deutsche Demand for offi ce and retail space is still high prices of the big cities. “Many large deserted residential developments. The next “The demographic change going on is World Bank noted in a recent statement. Bank AG has reduced China’s growth estimate driving development, especially in inland domestic and international companies are night the screen fi lls with scenes of booming unmatched in human history,” said Michael for this year to 7.9%, while Credit Suisse Group cities eagerly creating new central business in the process of shifting their operations cities teeming with life and landscapes Klibaner, head of research in China for Jones The residential property market, one of the AG lowered its forecast to 7.7%. The predic- districts. from fi rst tier cities like Shanghai and covered with soaring new towers under Lang LaSalle. In Shanghai, for example, the key drivers of tall building construction, has tions compare with a 9.2% expansion in 2011. Beijing to these other cities as infrastructure Feedback on the past journal construction. number of residents earning US$5,000 or been one of the areas hardest hit by the Offi ce rents increased last year in all 15 improves and the operation costs… are more a year will rise from 15% in 2006 to 51% country’s economic twists. After a decade of “Clearly the economy is much, much weaker major cities tracked by the property fi rm CB signifi cantly more favorable,” said Ben One thing is clear: for more than a decade in 2045, according to JLL data. “The same record price escalations, sales have slowed in than most people thought until recently,” Richard Ellis. Offi ce rates in Beijing jumped Cavender of CMR China’s economy produced historic, trend is happening all over the country,” Mr. the wake of government measures designed Diana Choyleva, a China economist in the 80% from 2010 to 2011, while the price of 26 Finding Structural Solutions unprecedented double digit annual growth, Klibaner said. “That is a massive opportunity.” to dampen an overheating market. With new Hong Kong offi ce of Lombard Street Research, Shanghai space jumped 25%, according to Retail development is also attracting issue churning out the type of numbers that make homes far out of reach of the typical Chinese told the New York Times this spring. “They CBRE. renewed interest, despite the oft-reported economists swoon. The country turned from family’s income, the government enacted have a real mess on their hands.” glut of space. China’s continued move to a sleeping giant to economic power, sending Global Reality measures to limit the number of homes any The vacancy rate in Beijing was a skimpy consumer-driven economy as the retail by Connecting Towers out tsunami-like ripples through markets one person can purchase and increased the 3.5%, while only 6.7% of Shanghai space sector “poised for a major update… and we around the world. It was a wild, jaw-dropping A large portion of China’s current economic restrictions on fi nancing, hoping to deter State of Transition was available, Knight Frank reports. Outside expect its impact to be signifi cant,” Jones era – and, by most accounts, it is over. The woes are attributable to forces beyond the speculators. a few high profi le projects, the next wave of Lang LaSalle reports economy is slowing to rates not seen in a country’s control. Once isolated, China is now But even the most pessimistic analysts offi ce towers is not expected to hit Beijing decade, government data shows. directly linked to the global economy. In the On one level, the measures have had the recognize that China’s leaders hold an and Shanghai until 2015 and 2016 Major international retailers such as Tiff any Andrew Luong & Michael last year slowdowns in Europe and North desired eff ect. Prices for new build homes in extraordinary ability to manipulate the and Marks & Spencer continue to make Meet the CTBUH But China’s slowdown is another country’s America undercut China’s best customers. 20 major cities dropped 6% from the peak in economy. In the fi rst half of 2012 the “Occupier demand remains strong in Tier their fi rst foray into such cities as Nanjing, 62 halcyon days. While the United States and EEU “The reality is that we are seeing a slowdown the third quarter of 2011 to the end of June, government enacted a series of stimulus One cities but it is rising rapidly in emerging Chongqing and Wuhan. For investors, it is zones stutter, China’s GDP is expected to grow in China’s economy through 2012 due to a 2012, according to Knight Frank data. Prices measures to help stabilize the economy, markets, particularly in gateway cities such “hard to fi nd retail assets in China by 8% this year. Even within the slowdown, lagging economic recovery in Europe and the are expected to fall further in the next six including an estimated 1 trillion (US$157 as Chengdu,” said Andrew Slevin of CBRE. anywhere,” said Michael Klibaner of Jones Kwok the country’s business and industry is forecast United States impacting China’s months. billion) of spending on everything from road Lang LaSalle. Jianping Gu to expand to record levels, as the government manufacturing and export sectors,” said Ben and bridge projects to subsidies for home pushes to meet the needs of its dramatically Cavender, Associate Principal of China Market Real estate accounted for 10% of the country’s appliance purchases. Interest rates were cut China 2011: $11 trillion (GDP PPP*) Tier 1 Cities vs China50 in 2011 changing country. Research Group (CMR). GDP in the boom years, with residential the for the fi rst time in three years. square meters China50 biggest contributor. “There was a huge $2.9 trillion China50 26% 5 million Tier 1 China is in the midst of a historic transition, a Foreign direct investment in 2011 was down dependence on the [real estate] sector, even While nowhere close to the size of the 22% China50 16 million shift that will profoundly change the global 2.8% in the fi rst quarter from a year earlier, in after the peak of the market in the United stimulus package put together in 2008 Rest of China 39% Tier 1 25 million $7.4 trillion Tier 1 cities 17.5 million 16% economy, analysts agree. At its heart is a part due to a 30% drop from Europe, which States in 2007,” Mr. Klibaner said. Uncertainty – which sparked three years of growth, 66% $0.8 trillion has stalled many projects, particularly despite the global slowdown – the measures 7% 78% developments targeting the luxury markets in were a clear signal the government was 34 Context to China’s Legacy of Tier 1 cities such as Shanghai and Beijing. “The responding to the realities of the market. China 2020: $21 trillion (GDP PPP*) Tier 1 Cities vs China50 in 2020 63 CTBUH Organizational high end of the market, where foreign Premier Wen Jiabao announced China will square meters investors typically played, was impacted more continue to focus on the continued growth of China50 Tier 1 $6.7 trillion 28 million Tier 1 signifi cantly by policies,” Mr. Klibaner said. the economy, rather than concerns about 32% China50 21% 32 million Rest of China 34 million th 49% infl ation, in line with the China’s 12 Five Year $12.3 trillion 51% China50 Tall Building Development 59% 109 million Chinese developers were particularly hard hit Plan, released in 2011. The plan calls for a Tier 1 cities 79% Structure & Member Listings by the recent economic shifts. Many were focus on scientifi c development and $1.7 trillion 8% heavily leveraged to banks – a scenario emerging industries, as well as transportation Grade “A” Office *PPP is Purchasing Power Parity Retail familiar in Western markets. “Weak property and energy infrastructure. Source: EIU, IMF, IHS Global Insight, and Source: Jones Lang LaSalle Real Estate Intelligence Service, 2012 Zhang Junjie developers in China are likely to face a test of Jones Lang LaSalle Real Estate Intelligence Service, 2012 their survival this year,” Standards & Poor In the wake of the economic slowdown, from Note: China50 refers to the next top 50 non-Tier One Cities concluded in a report issued this spring. January to April of this year the National Pudong Skyline, Shanghai. © MORI Development and Reform Commission Comparison of China’s Tier 1 cities vs China50 economic growth in 2011 and 2020.

40 | China 2012 CTBUH Journal | 2012 Issue III CTBUH Journal | 2012 Issue III China 2012 | 41 40 Big Shifts Ahead as China Enters New Era Kevin Brass

The rise of supertall buildings in modern has a “social context… Chinese ancestors relentlessly tried to conquer the highest mountains and the biggest rivers in order to challenge the order of nature. ” Zhang Junjie, Chairman of the Board, East China Architectural Design & Research Institute, Page 34

CTBUH Journal | 2012 Issue III Inside | 3 Talking Tall: Brian Lee An Insider’s View on Navigating the Approval Process for Tall Buildings in China

For years Brian Lee has been on the cutting edge of tall building development in China as one of the lead designers for Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. He’s worked on projects that changed the face of China’s cities, including the Poly Real Estate Headquarters in Guangzhou and (CWTC) Tower 3, Beijing’s tallest building. He is currently leading the design of CWTC Phase 3B, a 280-meter tower in the China World Trade Center complex. Brian Lee In an interview with CTBUH Journal Editor Kevin Brass, Mr. Lee discusses the Interviewee complexities of designing buildings in China and the challenges of the Brian Lee, Design Partner Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP approval process. 224 S. Michigan Ave. Chicago IL 60604 United States How is the process of designing buildings client may be able to have a say contrary to t: +1 312 360 4843 different in China? that decision. Then the panel, at other times, f: +1 312 794 7526 I think what’s interesting is that many of the will be split in terms of the things that they e: [email protected] www.som.com things that we experience in North America may request or pronounce as good or bad. In are being more and more adopted in China. my experience, the design panel’s ultimate

Brian Lee Chinese developers have become more responsibility is not necessarily to approve or As a design partner at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, sophisticated in terms of their project disapprove something. What they try to do is Brian Lee has designed unique, landmark projects across the globe, including East and Southeast Asia, management, the way they go about expose and discuss issues for consideration. Europe, and the Middle East. Due to his extensive selecting architects, engaging in and Structural panels are a little different. You need international experience, he has developed solid practices for collaboration and design leadership. establishing budgets, dealing with the to satisfy that group. approvals process, value engineering and, Mr. Lee has been responsible for several award winning domestic and international projects as well ultimately, the construction process. Are certain elements emphasized in the as first place competitions. Notable projects include process that might be different than in Poly Corporation Headquarters (Beijing), Poly Real Estate Headquarters (Guangzhou) and China World Such as? other countries? Trade Center Tower 3, Beijing’s tallest building. Mr. Let’s just take approvals. First of all, from a China is very pragmatic in terms of examining Lee is currently leading the design of CWTC Phase 3B, a 280-meter tower that is the newest addition to the technical point of view, the process often issues of urban design, the way the project China World Trade Center complex includes expert panels, which you don’t really relates to the streets, especially in terms of Mr. Lee’s design for Jinling Tower in Nanjing, China, get in the United States. And they’re traffic and transit systems. They try to was featured in the 2004 Venice Biennale. His work has also received numerous awards and has been composed of people who are often times understand density, in terms of too much area published in architectural journals in the United very highly respected professionals from the or too little area. Often times panels will States, Europe, and Asia. various disciplines. Sometimes I’ve been evaluate this even though there may already before panels where, in addition to well- be a listed density as part of the design brief known foreign architects, they’ve had that’s been approved by the government. “National Treasures” – engineers and architects Somebody will say, “Oh maybe that’s too who have achieved a high status in their much area.” Or, “it’s too big and bulky.” In society. So it’s interesting that you have this addition to evaluating the organization or the kind of consistent oversight at a high level. expression of the project, they may recommend it be downsized or even To an outsider, that sounds like “design by cancelled. To me, that actually gets into a fairly committee.” Is that the result? comprehensive way of discussing things. This I don’t think so. What I’ve found is that often is not an unsophisticated process. times the design panel will make a recommendation and it goes through. In this process, you also may involve the Sometimes the panel will make a Mayor, Vice-Mayors,and the Party Secretary. recommendation but the government or the Even now, I’m still not sure who gets a final say

48 | Talking Tall: Navigating the Approval Process for Tall Buildings in China CTBUH Journal | 2012 Issue III and how they interact. But it is clear the voice probably 10 years ago going into the and poor air quality that have accompanied of the local governments and maybe even planning department and they had very development. Projects would sometimes higher central governments will come into elaborate computer models of the CBD area. develop independently and isolated from a play, if the project is important enough. They would do fly-through to understand the larger network of circulation or open space massing of the buildings, view corridors and systems. The mixed-use high density in cities I assume that varies tremendously from context. You would actually use a joystick to is great for promoting less cars, more transit, city to city. fly through the model. but there is room for tuning how each project Yes, it does. Every city has its own dynamic of relates to another. local government decision makers and Now, in addition to the visual concerns, you standing, as well as mandate, in the larger will see fairly extensive planning of traffic To give an example, a lot of times each one of political framework. systems; below grade connections to transit, these individual projects will have a tower and retail or integrated parking; land use and open shopping mall. Well, how many shopping What role is the process playing in the space to a stronger economic analysis, and malls can you actually have before you larger design of Chinese cities, in terms of energy infrastructure to make the district work surpass the market’s ability to support them? creating buildings that link up with the more efficiently on the city scale. I have a Are malls the best way to build a vibrant community and the urban fabric? sense that these things are more commercial district of interrelated public I don’t think anybody views these buildings as comprehensive. streets and open spaces that other cities isolated objects anymore. In places like around the world are finding successful? Has Beijing, there have been several master plans What about the livability aspects? there been comprehensive thinking about a done and re-done, to envision how that city, Livability is probably still a work in progress, as broader range of uses, building typologies, particularly its core area, is going to be with any rapidly developing city. There are demographics and strategic planning in the developed (see Figure 1). I remember obvious concerns about traffic congestion area? I think they’re probably leaving it up to the market to decide whether some fail or succeed.

I think that the other aspect of livability involves the landscape. In China, the urban landscape planning process still needs to mature, which surprises me since the Chinese have a great love of landscape.

…it is clear the “voice of the local gov- ernments and maybe even higher central governments will come into play, if the project is important enough.” Figure 1. Beijing Master plan 2004–2020. © Beijing People’s Government 2004

CTBUH Journal | 2012 Issue III Talking Tall: Navigating the Approval Process for Tall Buildings in China | 49 Do you think there is a China design style developing? I don’t think that there is a China style. I think that anyone visiting the various cities would probably notice that the work is very international, very contemporary. This is partly because many foreign architects are working in the country and are bringing different ideas into China.

But I also think that Chinese architects, who do most of the work, are practicing in the same vein, facing the same issues, and often times using the same language that other architects around the world use.

We get clients who often respond to projects that are unique and have some sort of connection to their company, whether it is the company’s personality or the corporate mission. Other times, clients seek projects that are responsive to the history, geography or Figure 2. Beijing CBD East master plan expansion. © SOM character of the city or region. If there’s a style that is developing, I think that certainly it’s In the sense that it is not considered in the international, but the best buildings, the ones plan? which have the most impact, are somehow I think it’s usually thought of a little later in the tied into an aspect of local culture or I don’t think that process, when many designers believe it geography. Some smaller scale buildings that “there is a China style. I should be during the initial conceptualization. use local materials or traditional construction It is important to think about those public techniques will invariably have a stronger think that anyone spaces, the streets, parks, courts, and gardens sense of a national legacy. It might be more that make up the spaces in between buildings difficult with tall buildings. visiting the various and create a connection to nature and the public realm. How do you think the next wave of Chinese cities would probably towers will differ from the current wave? What other challenges exist in the master I think that the buildings will definitely get notice that the work is planning effort? more efficient and more technically One thing that is interesting to us – and we sophisticated. Engineering-wise, we’ve been very international, have made some references to it in some of making a lot of progress in working with the very contemporary. our master plans, particularly in the Beijing Chinese codes and the Chinese expert panels CBD East master plan (see Figure 2) – is to devise buildings that really push the This is partly because comprehensive energy, sustainability and envelope in terms of being efficient, using less conservation systems. I think China is making materials and conserving resources. many foreign big strides in terms of things like national energy codes and a consciousness about I think that exterior enclosures are becoming architects are working energy conservation. Cities have and are more sophisticated, partly due to the new doing central cooling, heating and waste technologies brought in, but also through the in the country and are treatment. They require water reclamation growing maturity of the Chinese curtain wall bringing different and treatment. I think now they are taking a and higher quality building suppliers and leadership role, saying, “Well, we have control, systems now available in China. I think that ideas into China. we are going to do these sustainable things,” there is a rise of professionals, manufacturers, and then enabling the projects to be tied and fabricators who understand how to build ” together. buildings in China, and that the plans

50 | Talking Tall: Navigating the Approval Process for Tall Buildings in China CTBUH Journal | 2012 Issue III currently being developed all have a high human scale environment – places for retail, essentially just big, flashy ideas. But without degree of thoughtfulness to them. restaurants, shops, public spaces, public the ability to actually implement your ideas indoor spaces, public outdoor spaces – by and convince the client that they can Does the process reward function and stitching these things together. It’s about successfully be implemented, they’re not efficiency? developing these dense urban environments going to get done. Oh, yes. Absolutely. None of our buildings into great places for the next generation, who would get built, and I think a lot of buildings are increasingly aware and worldly. Secondly, you have to have good, smart don’t get built, unless they fit within certain clients that are with you in terms of the ability cost parameters. Nobody wants to throw How does the collaboration process differ to put the project together – approvals, away a lot of money because of huge egos or in China? working with local designers, working with unattainable ambitions or because somebody When we work in China, sometimes we’re the expert panels and building authorities, as has decided that the strategy is to make a unable to use our own internal disciplines or well as the planning and infrastructure statement. familiar consultants, but we still strive to have departments that all give approvals. We have that same level of collaboration early in the great repeat clients. An attitude which exists in other areas. design process. In fact, it might drive some Sometimes those buildings are part of bigger consultants crazy because they want to wait I think the last one would be the ability to real estate and investment strategies. But until, “the architects get their act together” develop a project that is unique and has some we’re finding that the clients [in China] very before they interact. But we are constantly kind of original quality that is not derivative, much want to have buildings that can be built trying to challenge preconceptions and something that strikes an emotional chord in and that means they must be efficient and search for those little secrets and those little terms of people’s perception of their city or economical. They’re usually delighted when nuances to make a better design – why does their company. I think authenticity and we’re able to bring something unique to the the structure have to be like that? Or what can appropriateness is important. It’s what people design which makes it special. As an we really do to save energy? Or what can we will ultimately respond to.  integrated practice, SOM has some do to make the place more livable? So we do advantages. We can really put elements engage our outside consultants early in the together to propose ideas with cost design process. efficiencies and space efficiencies, and then it’s up to us to come up with something that The other aspect is that it’s very essential to is memorable. use the LDIs (local design institutes), because very few foreign firms – if any – are actually In the end, each scheme presented for a currently licensed in China. We tend to avoid project meets the criteria from the design using LDIs that want to rubber stamp brief. But each building has a different quality drawings, because we know that if they’re not in terms of how it would exist in the city. involved early and are not part of the design process, they are not likely to say, “Look, let’s One of the schemes we recently developed try to figure out how to get things approved.” uses the building as a metaphor for the entire region. The city has a river and two mountain Actually, the organization of many of the LDIs ranges which surround it, and our clients is very similar to SOM. They have structural loved the fact that their building actually had engineering, building systems and various this quality of two objects with voids and other disciplines within their offices. So we bridges that connect the two towers. The have similar cultures. We involve them early local poetic connection made it work. and really want them to be a part of the design process. LDIs are part of the critique Is the livability quotient becoming more and are essential to figuring out the viability of important in the design briefs? the projects in terms of codes and rules and I think so. We often find that China has a all those sorts of things. stronger design sense, along with a sense of space and how things are connected. Our What keys would you identify to moving a clients travel all over the world and have project along the approval process? become very adept at identifying the best First of all, the project has to be efficient and urban environments. So in design briefs, we cost effective. If it isn’t, it’s never going to get see a real desire to create the pedestrian and built. We’ve seen other projects that are

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