AS+GG’s recent winning competition design for Jiangbei Forest Tower is a 250-meter office complex that extends the adjacent riverfront Jiangji Park over the podium, up the tower, and around the southern corner.

At the base of the building, a large multi-level sunken garden is the key public node that links the adjacent park and parcels and is a seamless connection to the underground retail and metro intersections. Biophilic design is a key element of the language of the building. Private balconies act as a green extension, twisting to create semi-outdoor landscaped environments. Wood louvers provide shade as a signature design feature to mitigate afternoon sun. The wood structure supports the vertical greenery while wrapping around from the south and up the west facade, providing solar protection at the time its most needed.

To further minimize solar exposure, the building is oriented with the broad edge facing south, leaving the narrowest sides exposed to the morning and afternoon sun. The high-performance facade uses Low-E reflective insulating glass to minimize solar heat gain and reduce energy consumption and the building was designed to achieve Chinese 3-star, LEED Platinum, and the WELL Building Standard.