A giant 'walking stick' looms over the crowded streetscapes of Tianjin as the supertall Goldin Finance 117 continues cladding application after topping out in 2015. Like other major Asian skyscrapers, this tower will become the focal point of a new central business district in the city, and at 596.5 metres, it's already the tallest building in Tianjin.

A rendering of Goldin Finance 117, image via P & T Group

The 117-storey tower accumulates office space on the lower levels and a luxury hotel on the upper floors, as surrounding residences, entertainment venues, training facilities, retail outlets, and green spaces activate the complex. A complementary 200-metre office tower aims to appease the feng shui requirements prescribed for the development area, a common part of the planning and design process in China.

Goldin Finance 117 under construction, image by Gaoloumi user Muxuan1983

Several sky lobbies will puncture the interior program of the building and provide tenants with a variety of panoramic vantage points of the city. Designed by P & T Group, with ECADI serving as the architect of record, the bejewelled building is crowned by a diamond-shaped atrium, where a rotating observation deck and fine dining establishment will be located. An indoor swimming pool on the 115th floor is poised to become the world's highest.

Goldin Finance 117 under construction, image by Gaoloumi user Muxuan1983

New photos of the construction show the textured cladding system being installed on the building, which has reached its final height. Cladding on the four massive corner columns, which connect to the beams, transfer trusses, and mega braces, is also progressing smoothly. Though architecturally shorter, Goldin Finance 117 will have a higher occupiable floor than the Shanghai Tower, which is the current tallest building in China.

The crown of Goldin Finance 117, image by Gaoloumi user Muxuan1983

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