Shenzhen Capital Group selected a joint PTW and CCDI proposal in a design competition for its new headquarters in Shenzhen’s Nanshan District. Located on a site that was formerly in the open water of Shenzhen Bay, a 54-story office tower will rise from a 4 story retail podium, with direct access to the city’s metro system. The project, which occupies a site adjacent to 30-40 story towers on both the east and west facades, prioritizes views and daylight exposure by pinching and stretching the mass of the tower.
The result was an intriguing form for the shaft which then served as the inspiration for the three-dimensional diamond geometry of the tower facade. The geometry of the retail podium was allowed to take on a different character of folded and shifting solids appropriate for its horizontality. My involvement in this project primarily focused on the design, modeling, rendering, and coordination of the building’s interiors. I was enthusiastic about the opportunity to deliver high-quality spaces and materials that reflected the prestige of the client firm.
The interior design of Hongtu plaza involved creating a highly- coordinated and deliberate sequence of spaces flexible to the formality or informality of their programming. The tower’s main foyer will feature grand gestures; such as rich champagne-hued tiles and metal paneling on the ceilings and walls, accented by sleek furniture and large cubic array chandelier. The design of the retail spaces sought to create inviting, flowing spaces with directional batton ceilings and a sleek backlit diamond ceiling around the metro entrance. The northern half of the podium is centered on an open-air court that was given a palette of copper and cream-toned metals and tiles. These surface materials exude a casual luxury that relates to the grandeur of the spaces in the tower’s base. The top floor headquarters office was given the same level of attention and finesse to communicate an understated elegance. Completion of the entire complex is scheduled for late 2016.
MATTHEW MARANO 