2.7K 
We all know that buildings don't always turn out like the renderings. Last-minute changes and real-life materials can all cause discrepancies between the vision and reality of a project. In our weekly Flash Forward Friday feature, we take a look at how different projects stack up.
For skyscraper geeks, it's hard not to be envious of Guangzhou's impactful skyline. The capital and largest city of Guangdong Province in southeastern China boasts six supertall skyscrapers and the third tallest tower in the world. At 439 metres and 103 storeys, Guangzhou International Finance Center is the second tallest building in the city. WilkinsonEyre emerged as the winning architect following a design competition for the office and hotel skyscraper. A luxury retail shopping mall, serviced apartments, and conference facilities are housed within a substantial podium structure. Underground, additional retail supplements a transportation hub.
The tower was planned around Guangzhou's latest central business district, Zhujiang New Town. Together with another supertall on the opposite side of a wide boulevard, the architects envisioned the pair of buildings as a massive entryway to this new urban neighbourhood.
Originally proposed at an even higher height of 475 metres — but possessing a similar look — Kohn Pedersen Fox eventually redesigned the second tower. Coming to a peak of 530 metres, the CTF Finance Centre's blockier massing stands in contrast to the gentle curved profile of Guangzhou IFC.
Despite the change in its sibling's appearance, Guangzhou IFC stayed faithful to the early project illustrations. Transparent glazing allows onlookers to view the world's tallest constructed diagrid structure, which heavily informs the building's exterior, just as represented in the renderings. The skyscraper's slender form, triangular floor plate, and offset rooftop helipad were all realized, and the tower has become one of the most visible landmarks in the city.
We will return next Friday with another comparison!
