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The focal point of Beijing's new 30-hectare central business district is on its way to becoming the city's tallest building. The 528-metre China Zun Tower will house the headquarters for CITIC Group and CITIC Bank, in addition to a multitude of modern office space for other tenants.
Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates — together with TFP Farrells and the Beijing Institute of Architectural Design as the concept architects — designed the 108-storey supertall. The 'zun', an ancient Chinese artifact, served as the inspiration for the sleek design. The building's tightened midsection draws heavily on the curvature of the 'zun,' as the floor plate expands and contracts along the vertical axis. The 78-metre-wide base is matched by a 69-metre-wide crown, while the middle shrinks down to a 54-metre-wide floor plan. Massive corner supports anchor the tower and frame an inviting glass-walled entryway.
Three sky lobbies, accessible by a set of dedicated high-speed elevators, provide meeting and dining facilities for workers in the complex. An observation deck and business centre placed at the top of the building is screened with clearer glass, allowing users to take in the vertigo-inducing panoramic views more easily. The crown will be illuminated at night as an artistic gesture to the city. An energy-efficient building envelope and rooftop solar panels contribute to the building's anticipated LEED Gold certification.
Installation of the triple-glazed windows has begun on the lower section of the tower as evidenced in photos by Gaoloumi user Starry universe. The images show a highly textured panel of glass and enlarged metal mullions with phase 3B of the China World Trade Center under construction in the distance. They offer a glimpse of what a fully clad China Zun Tower will look like when construction finishes in 2018.
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