Location: Shenzhen, China.

Architect: SOM – Skidmore Owings & Merrill.

The Shenzhen Rural Commercial Bank headquarters is a 33-story tower located in one of Shenzhen’s key business districts. The building incorporates biophilic and sustainable design solutions to respond to the region’s tropical climate. The design is inspired by natural systems and elements such as water and wind, which are reflected in features like the multistory water wall at the building’s main lobby and the undulating striations of marble cladding the tower’s elevator core. The building also incorporates a mixed-mode natural ventilation system that allows for seasonal air flushing of the key common areas and office levels. The tower’s diagrid serves two primary purposes: to provide a solar shading system for the building and its occupants and to create an entirely column-free floor plan, enabling ultimate flexibility of office layouts. The glass and bronze-toned private banking pavilion adjacent to the tower’s main lobby incorporates a high-performance double-skin wall to provide environmental comfort and visual privacy to the consultation suites and areas for display of artwork within. The building is targeting LEED Platinum and China Green Star certification.

Photo credit: Seth Powers Photography.