skidmore, owings & merrill (SOM) has announced the design of a new tower, the hangzhou wangchao center, in china. as a city, hangzhou had gone somewhat under the radar, but has seen rapid growth in recent years. these changes are in large part a result of the 2022 asian games, which will take place in the region. the skyscraper will be built at the heart of the metropolis and SOM believes, with reason, that the project will become ‘a beacon of performance-driven design and is emblematic of hangzhou’s future.’ 

SOM
 image © SOM | brick visual (main image © SOM | ATCHAIN)

 

 

located directly adjacent to one of the city’s new subway stations, SOM’s design will add 125,000 square meters of office, hotel, and retail programming. meanwhile, the multipurpose tower’s expressive silhouette resulted from an integrated architectural and engineering solution. this system ‘minimizes wind loads with eight mega-columns that slope outward at the corners to create large, flexible floor plates.’ the rest of the scheme unfolds around this essential design aspect.

hangzhou wangchao center
image © SOM | brick visual

 

 

‘as the corner columns move further apart, secondary perimeter columns branch out to maintain equal column bays,’ explains SOM. ‘above the lobby, a vierendeel transfer truss links the secondary columns to the corner columns, creating an open lobby space below. the undulating façade is highly rationalized, allowing the entire cladding to consist of planar glass panels.’

hangzhou wangchao center
image © SOM | MIYSIS

 

 

‘the hangzhou wangchao center’s distinctive silhouette derives its form from an integrated design process that solves programmatic, structural, and environmental criteria,’ states SOM design partner, gary haney. ‘located at the intersection of several major transportation networks, the tower is a beacon of performance-driven design and is emblematic of hangzhou’s future as a new global destination.’ the hangzhou wangchao center is set to complete in 2021.

hangzhou wangchao center
image © SOM | brick visual

hangzhou wangchao center
image © SOM

hangzhou wangchao center
image © SOM

hangzhou wangchao center
image © SOM

hangzhou wangchao center
image © SOM

hangzhou wangchao center
image © SOM | brick visual