The distinctive Nanjing Keyne Centre anchors the entrance to Hexi District, an emerging commercial and civic hub in Nanjing. Driven by sustainability concerns, the tower’s faceted form is an evolution of integrated architectural, structural, and mechanical systems.

A double-skin curtain wall enables the building to respond to the city’s extreme heat during summer. The cavity between the two walls is vented to the outside and serves as a thermally insulating buffer zone around air-conditioned spaces. Benefits of the double-layer envelope include improved HVAC system performance, lower operational costs, and increased comfort for occupants.

Contained within the cavity are diagonal structural braces that wrap the tower from top to base. Reductions in structural materials achieved through this system were on the order of 20 percent. The tower’s central core consists of a hybrid shear wall frame. The building’s “infinite column” structural system was named in homage to Brancusi’s Endless Column sculpture in Romania.

Inside the tower, translucent and opaque screens focus light down a dramatic, 27-story atrium — a feature for the Nanjing Fairmont Hotel. Glass balconies, placed periodically within the atrium, provide a desirable amenity. In addition to Class-A office space and the hotel, the project also included a retail podium and an innovative residential building, characterized by skip-stop access and operable sunshades that provide privacy and solar control.