OMA to design Essence Financial Building in Shenzhen, China

Netherlands-based architecture firm OMA has won a competition to design a financial office tower in Shenzhen, China.

The 180m Essence Financial Building will feature a ground floor podium with commercial and retail facilities, office space, a mid-tower outdoor plaza and recreation area, as well as a clubhouse at the top.

Under the plans, the building will be split horizontally by a large outdoor terrace.

Each side of the building will be designed in relation to the movement of the sun in order to minimise solar gains.

A mid-height platform will open the tower up to the outdoors and provide viewing space towards the nearby Shenzhen Golf Club, as well as offer a recreational area for those working in the building.

OMA said the design plan does not follow conventional office tower designs, especially the central core plan and curtain wall systems, which will allow for a variety of office configurations.

Sustainable features of the building include a homogeneous glass curtain wall that requires an optimised solution for solar gain.

East and west sides will provide a greater shield from the sun, with the south side featuring graduated openings while the north will have the largest windows to allow in indirect light.

OMA said the project was being developed with SADI, YRG, SWA, Inhabit and AECOM.

The company has been selected to design the new-generation office tower out four short-listed entries, which include international and Chinese architectural practices.

OMA partner for Asia, David Gianotten said the building has been designed for Shenzhen city, which is making its evolution from a manufacturing city into a services hub.

"This next-generation of urbanism calls for a new generation of office towers of which the Essence Financial Building could be one," Gianotten said.

The Essence Financial Building is OMA’s second building in the city after Shenzhen Stock Exchange, which is due for completion in April 2013.

---

Image: The 180m Essence Financial Building will feature a ground floor podium and office space. Photo: courtesy of OMA.