Two iconic towers

The Poly Real Estate Company sought to create an innovative office and trade center development in Guangzhou, an industrial city along the Pearl River. The complex consists of two office towers, each coupled with a low-rise podium that accommodates retail uses; the below-grade spaces include an exhibition hall and trade center.

Views of the water were essential in the design of the Poly Real Estate Headquarters. Thanks to innovative structural spines and double-lattice braces, the offset cores are light and transparent. The offset core design also maximizes light transmission to the tower interiors and allows for open, flexible floor plates. On the north, the towers are defined by floor-to-ceiling glass, on the south, the exposed structural frame works as a shading device.

A responsive design

Poly Real Estate Headquarters balances dense high-rise development with open green space. Guangzhou’s tropical climate informed the landscape design. An abstracted Chinese garden, planted with local vegetation and organized around water elements, occupies the central space between the two towers; a diagonal view corridor crosses the garden, connecting the complex to the promenade along the river on one end, and a historic pagoda temple on the other.

To mitigate Guangzhou’s heat without blocking views, screens of sustainably harvested wood are employed throughout the project to relate to the local architectural tradition. Terraces on the western sides of the towers serve the dual purpose of providing open space and blocking the setting sun. A large, central terrace at the midpoint of each tower acts as an aperture which allows wind to pass through the 34-story structures. These terraces are also the towers’ social hubs, thanks to their three-story floating lounges and meeting room spaces.

The towers achieve sustainable design through their use of natural light, natural ventilation, floor-by-floor mechanical systems, under-floor air distribution, shaded outdoor space, and green roofs.

Structural elegance

Both towers feature lateral X-bracing on the south facade, providing structural support while shielding the interiors from direct sunlight. On the north, the towers are defined by floor-to-ceiling glass shaded by vertical fins. The structural frame is designed to decrease solar gain by nearly 50 percent. It also significantly reduced construction costs, as it required 15 percent less steel than a standard structural frame.

Inside the towers, slender 15-meter floor plates allow daylight to bathe the column-free space, decreasing the need for artificial lighting. Under-floor systems take advantage of natural convection to supply fresh air. Structurally, the three-story terraces serve as a wind-relieving portal, reducing loads by allowing wind to pass through the building.