AS+GG won an international design competition to design the new South HeXi Yuzui Financial District and Tower. The new 860,000 sm development includes a new 500-meter-tall tower that will anchor the district and enhance Nanjing’s already iconic skyline.
The tower will be one of the tallest in Nanjing and features a magnificent 360°, open-air observatory at the tower’s top that will be one of the highest in the world. It will also be one of the tallest buildings to achieve LEED-Gold certification when completed in 2025.
The mixed-use development will increase the value of the location with networks to access the riverfront, multiple public transportation options, and many new cultural, natural, and technological opportunities. Encouraging increased interaction, the user is invited to experience the district as either a live-work environment or as a visitor to one of the many public parks and art centers.
In addition to the 500-meter tower, the district’s master plan includes a 100-meter office tower, a 155-meter office tower, a 220-meter office tower, a 350-meter office tower, and an 86-meter-tall residential tower.
At the heart of the new CBD, the architectural design of the new supertall was inspired by the Yangtze River. The river reflects light, throwing out textures and dimensions, much like the tower’s exterior, which is shaped to mitigate wind vortices, optimize views, and enhance both the structure and the program. Its mixed-use office program also features a unique observatory amenity with a stunning viewing platform.
The LEED-Gold design incorporates multiple green spaces that enhance the tower and the surrounding development, allowing users to experience the tactile sensations of the landscaping elements that are shown to promote a sense of well-being and improve air quality and the local micro-climate.
The tower will integrate rainwater harvesting into the sky gardens that target onsite water management at greater than 100% of rainfall. Rainwater will be collected using sponge city concepts including sub-soil collection, permeable paving, and recessed green space. Collected water will be drained to tanks below ground level where it will be treated and stored for reuse. A 55% reduction in total indoor water use is predicted.
The tower is designed to reach LEED-Gold certification. It seeks an overall energy reduction through a combination of energy strategies like reducing the cooling load, installation of a high-performance façade, reducing heating loads, reducing lighting loads, and reducing plug loads. A high-performance, Low-E insulated curtain-wall system has carefully designed fins that work with the building’s geometry to efficiently reduce solar heat gain and provide the effective protection to the indoor environment, while maintaining access to daylighting and controlling glare.
