The Nanjing of the future is set to change at least as much in the next few years as it has in the last few. That’s especially true for architecture. And boy, do we have some treats in store, with international design the watchword.
It’s called “Nanjing Nexus” and when complete, the 350 metre tall tower in the city’s Jiangbei New Area will offer the usual office space and a top-brand hotel. But what’s got The Nanjinger interested is the building’s rooftop terrace, featuring that more befitting of top-holiday spot, Sanya.
Brainchild of German architect, Büro Ole Scheeren, the octagonal mixed-use building was announced as winner of a competition for the project by the Global Construction Review on 22 April. And looking at the computer-generated image of the building above, it’s easy to see why.
From an architectural standpoint though, unique concave panels shall occupy much of the building’s tall façade, which by their very design shall reportedly have a positive impact on the environment. Greenery on the building’s outside shall also feature prominently, something which is very “à la mode” in architectural circles these days.
In particular, the designers claim that those panels shall reduce wind load on the building and reflect light in such a way as to boost overall solar performance. The panels shall also maximise interior day light.
Wonderful Engineering is reporting Ole Scheeren, CEO of Buro-OS, as saying, “The fusion of past and present is more than just formal gestures; it is about generating genuine events and settings with distinct emotional and sensory aspects.
“Nanjing Nexus is a building that investigates how modern architecture may absorb, and in fact, intensify, historical context and significance by integrating the traits of the past with the needs of a future-oriented workforce inside the verticality of a super-tall office skyscraper.”
The architect is based in Berlin and has among its recently completed projects the hybrid-arts space and headquarters for China’s oldest auction house that is the Guardian Art Centre in Beijing.
At 350-metres tall, Nanjing Nexus will certainly be no slouch, but nothing compared to the 499.80 metre-tall Greenland Jiangbei Financial Centre that shall be Nanjing’s tallest building, almost 50 metres higher than the Zifeng Tower, built by the same people over at cutting-edge property developer, Greenland.
Under construction at present, its peculiar height is explained by the fact that Nanjing’s present building regulations state that no building may be over 500 metres tall.
