Located 100 kilometres to the northwest of Shanghai, Suzhou is the second largest city in the Jiangsu province with more than 10 million residents within its administrative area. As an important economic centre and commerce hub for East China, the city has grown at an unprecedented rate over the past 15 years, boosted by the influx of Shanghainese companies attracted by the city's cheaper rents and high quality of life. In 1994, the Chinese and Singaporean governments jointly created the China–Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park as a way to foster economic development in the region with Singapore's management methods and investments. Spreading over 288 square kilometres on the banks of the Jinji Lake, the district has grown to become Suzhou's central business district. 

Suzhou Zhongnan Center, image via Gensler, ECADI

This is where Chinese developer Zhongnan Group hopes to build what could one day become China's tallest tower, with a height of 729 metres above ground. Designed by Gensler and ECADI, the $4.37 billion Suzhou Zhongnan Center would house a variety of uses scattered across 137 storeys. While the eight-storey base of the tower would consist of a ballroom and conference centre, the rest of the skyscraper would feature a mix of offices, 706 residences, and 276 hotel rooms for a total surface of 495,000 square metres. A publicly accessible observatory would also be perched 592.8 metres above street level. 

Suzhou Zhongnan Center from street level, image via Gensler, ECADI

In a region subject to strong seismic and wind activity, an expansive system of bored concrete pile foundations paired with a network of columns and outriggers attached to the concrete core would form a resistant yet flexible frame to provide the tower with the ability to support strong shifts in gravity loads. The diameter of the frame would shrink slightly as the tower rises, eventually giving the edifice a pointed crown. A blue-tinted glass facade would ultimately seal off the building from the elements.

Crown of the Suzhou Zhongnan Center, image via Gensler, ECADI

The project was tentatively scheduled for completion by 2021, although it is currently on hold due to financial difficulties. In the meantime, additional images and information about the project can be found in the Database file linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion or share your photos? Check out the associated Forum thread or leave a comment at the bottom of this page.