Gold Architecture, Building and Structure Design · 2023
Shenzhen Financial Culture Center Public Building
by Xiaolin Ji
- A' Design Award 2023 Gold Winner in Architecture, Building and Structure Design
- Awarded April 15, 2023
- CLIENT: Swooding Architects
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 44,995
- Verification code 168A21F0FA · Verify this award
About Shenzhen Financial Culture Center Public Building
Shenzhen Financial Culture Center is a public building in Shenzhen, China. The building is composed of two rhombus shapes inspired by the concept of golden stacked mountains. The main facades are made of stainless steel panels that are prefabricated in modules to reduce construction errors. A curtain wall of single-layered tensile glass spans 65 meters in width and 38 meters in height and forms a viewing platform toward the public plaza. A sheltered corridor below ground connects several subway lines.
Situated within the continuum of twenty-first century institutional architecture, Yao Wang's Shenzhen Financial Culture Center Public Building exemplifies the contemporary pursuit of buildings that function simultaneously as civic landmarks, cultural vessels, and responsive environmental systems, the folded plate roof structure references parametric design methodologies that emerged from computational exploration while maintaining the sculptural presence associated with major cultural institutions from earlier decades, the tessellated metallic envelope demonstrates sophisticated material research enabling each triangular panel to contribute to a unified whole while maintaining individual articulation that responds to changing light conditions throughout the day, the building appears to engage thoughtfully with its subtropical climate through the interplay of solid and void, the deep overhangs and lifted volumes creating sheltered transitional zones that mediate between interior and exterior conditions while establishing a dialogue with traditional regional approaches to climate-responsive design, the expansive public plaza functions as an extension of the building's program, its generous proportions accommodating civic gathering while the architectural forms frame views toward the metropolitan skyline beyond, the landscape design integrates substantial mature vegetation that softens the monumental scale and establishes ecological continuity with surrounding parkland, the rendering captures the building in rainfall conditions that emphasize both its material resilience and its atmospheric poetry, rainwater presumably channeled through the angular geometries in celebration rather than mere management of precipitation, visitors approaching from multiple directions encounter the building differently, each perspective revealing new facets of its crystalline composition, the work invites contemplation of how contemporary institutions might embody civic aspiration through architectural form while remaining responsive to environmental and cultural contexts
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- As one of the 10 most influential public facilities in Shenzhen, China, the innovation of its pragmatic planning and the geometric challanges mark its distinct role among all the public buildings in Shenzhen. It's location in Shenzhen is comparable to the Central Park in New York. Together with two other Civic Centers that form the large public square, it defines the most prominent spaces in the center of the city.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- The total site area for this project is 17,312.91 square meters. Building total area is 63,920 square meters, among which 23,388 square meters are above ground, and 40,532 square meters are underground. Building height is 37.5 meters.
- Tags
- Shenzhen, Financial Cultural Center, Metal Facade, Xiangmi Lake, Single Layered Tensile Glass Structure, Swooding Architects
- Production Technology
- The main facades of the building are composed of stainless steel metal panels that are digitally scanned for sizes and composition, pre-panalized and assembled in the factory, and transported to the site in modules. This way the construction error margins can be kept to minimal.
- Project Duration
- This project's design phase started in early 2021, it broke ground in mid 2022. And it is set to be completed in 2024.
- Operation Flow
- The building’s functions are three-fold: 1. Exhibit and advocate for the healthy financial culture, 2. Promote global connectivity and host international summits. 3. Shelter one of the largest transportation hubs in the city and offer public interaction opportunities. Some distinct spaces include: at B1 level, a public corridor fully sheltered by the building geometry connects among different subway lines and allows for efficient transit needs. Along the corridor lies main entrances to a variety of retail, trading and museum programs, to interlace the transit program with the daily use of the building.
- Research
- Expert review processes were used for the ground-breaking structural advancement of the facade. Above the ground towards the public plaza, a grand curtain wall system forms the focal point of the project: the Eye of the Diamonds. Spanning 65 meters in width and 38 meters in height, the system challenges the latest technologies of single-layered tensile glass structures. It is made possible by a self-balanced façade structure that can sustain the forces of the largely spanned cables as well as the weight of the glass panels. This results in a grand viewing platform, free of visual obstructions, that provides crystal clear views towards the prominent public plaza at the heart of the city of Shenzhen.
- Inspiration
- Incorporating the concept of “golden stacked mountains”, the FCC is composed of two rhombus shapes and resembles the steppingstones of steady development of the financial industry. Additionally, when approaching from Shennan Blvd, the metallic rhombus geometries offer a sense of speed and futurism which resonates with Shenzhen’s identity of science and technology advancement.
- Image Credits
- Image #1: Kelangsi,2022
Image #2: Silu,2022
Image #3: Kelangsi,2022
Image #4: Swooding,2022
Image #5: Swooding,2022
Video Credits: Swooding, 2022
Colors of Shenzhen Financial Culture Center Public Building
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