steven holl architects designs the CIFI building, its second project in beijing

steven holl architects has been commissioned to design a new hybrid building of offices and retail space for CIFI group in beijing. the 28,000 square-meter mixed-use complex, to be completed in 2022, will be steven holl architects’ second building in the chinese capital. the design for the building is based on five central points: light, structure, urban porosity, open offices, and garden ecology. the unique geometries and dynamic interiors are generated by a response to the varying qualities of light.

all images courtesy of steven holl architects

the new building by steven holl architects will be sited in fengtai, beijing. the curving northern facade is shaped by both the site’s natural lighting conditions as well as the code setback requirements. the curved surfaces provide soft and evenly diffused light to the interiors on the upper floors. on the south facade, sculpted cuts introduce light to the office spaces and to retail below grade. the retail at the street level surrounds reflecting pools and gardens, giving the building an inspiring urban porosity and a pedestrian-friendly scale. rainwater recycling in the pools and state-of-the-art ecological systems are envisioned to amplify the sustainable quality of the building.

the north ‘light curves’ will be developed together with sustainable glass company okalux. the structure consists of four layers comprising a glass exterior laid over truss, secondary tubes, and an interior layer of translucent barrisol and newmat. the exterior concrete structure helps to allow for flexibility in interior space. the top levels of the building will house flexible open office space. the aluminum-painted concrete will be OSB formed, contrasting the smooth, matte finish of the north light curves.

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project info:

project title: CIFI beijing

architecture: steven holl architects

location: fengtai, beijing, china

status: in progress

construction period: 2019 – 2022

building area: 28,000 square meters

program: office, retail

structure: cast-in-place concrete