Great Wall Technology Headquarters Tower

1+1=1

Cities are, by definition and nature, spaces of permanent changes. Its mutating physiognomy reveals its intentions and plans for the future. Shenzhen’s current urban morphology is the result of vibrant and constant economic and social growth. The skyline of the city has been changing at an impressive stride, creating a constantly evolving urban identity. The ebullient and permanent development makes it one of the fastest growing cities in the world. No longer a manufacturing based economy it is currently developing into a high technology / service oriented business centre.

The new R/D-Administrative tower for Great Wall, situated in Nanshan district, is strategically located in the bustling and evolving area of Shenzhen High Tech Industry Park. Listed among China’s five state level High Tech Parks, it is an epicenter for entrepreneurship, technological and economic development of not only national but international companies as well. The Shenzhen High Tech Industrial Park is a part of the city that reflects enormous potential and plays an important role in the technology, research and investment sectors.

Our proposal for the new R/D-Administrative Tower reflects the innovative spirit of the Great Wall company; creative, collaborative and visionary. Our objective is to design an edifice that creates a strong architectural identity for the company and mark its presence within the High Tech Industry Park.

Departing from the conventional office tower typology which blurs into the background of the skyline, our strategies are to explore the duality of the functional requirements, creating architectural opportunities for collaborative-interactive spaces between services and generating a unique and identifiable visual spatial volume that spans the macro and micro scale of a tower.

The new R/D – administrative tower is composed of twin towers, one R/D and the other Administration, facing one another forming a dual relationship. Each one unique in its form yet together recomposes into a unique overall tower. The uniqueness and exclusive quality of this project lies in the the void that was carved from the overall initial form. This void shapes a canyon of different volumes and different proportions that create a succession and hierarchy of shared spaces. The assemblage of these elements forms a layered organic composition.

This dynamic layered organic composition is composed of shared functions and facilities by the 2 principal departments (Administration offices and Research &Development).  They are organised to foster symbiosis between the two through collaborative and interactive shared functions.

This tower promotes networking, both professionally and socially. These encounters are reflected on the physicality of the tower,  where the both ends meet. Architecture made use of natural elements to redefine the shape of this skyscraper… Natural sunlight and air are omnipresent elements throughout the building. The sun intercepts the tower from the top to the bottom; the air crosses it from north to south and the landscape is laid out as a grid that creates a pixelated surface of pavement, water features and green areas.

These emerge from the ground floor and grow vertically through the building creating elevated garden areas. The shape that results from all these actions makes it visually more complex but at the same time provides a wide range of flexible and functional workspace.

There is an inherent rationality in this design proposal: both ends (East and West sides) have the typical office and R&D space that are repeated through the whole floors with subtle changes. These create singularity in repetition. The major changes on the floor plans correspond to different function spaces that range from public (welcoming pedestrians) to private (social places for Great Wall workers). The manipulation of the different slabs corresponds to several volumes (additions) that reveal different functions. A constant and dynamic dialogue is created and several types of spaces are defined as well by subtraction (different social meeting places that overlook the city). Borders between both became pixelated, blur in order to create a continuous central space connected physically and visually making the project very cohesive and solid. Through the construction of this new “topography” slabs, new relations, views and manifestations with the outer and inner space are created. A series of manipulations turns the classic shape of a tower into something unique, complex and intriguing. The apparently simple shape mutates into a contrast of volumes, voids, shades that range from transparent to opaque. The interior core is partial envisioned, perceived and suggested. It's like the inside of a computer were revealed, where different pieces of different shapes and functions are attached in a seemingly arbitrary manner so as to form part of a whole.

Our proposal creates an interesting and eye-catching corporate identity for Great Wall, and defines a vibrant landmark for Shenzhen and Shenzhen High Tech Industry Park. A new office tower that defies boundaries between traditional and modern, public and private, exterior and interior… What is it then? Something in between!