Bordering Hong Kong, Shenzhen is the fastest growing metropolitan area champion: since its official foundation in 1979, its population has increased to 10 million, almost 90% of which is a working population, with almost no children and the elderly. Over the past 30 years, the city has become the largest financial and industrial center of the PRC and Asia as a whole, and its stock exchange plays a vital role in the country's economy - also because there are only three such institutions in China: here, in Hong Kong and Shanghai.
To emphasize the importance of the exchange in the landscape of the metropolis, the architects took the traditional typology of a tower resting on a base - and raised this base above the ground, turning it into a console. This three-story volume with an area of each floor of 15 thousand m2 is located at a height of 36 m: there are an operating room, premises for exhibitions and conferences, offices of ordinary employees of the exchange. There is a garden on the roof of the console and management offices are located on the floors directly above the outrigger. Above them are planned offices for rent and a private club.
The base raised above the ground made it possible to double the area of public space at the new skyscraper: in addition to the roof garden, an area appeared at the base of the building, which would otherwise have been occupied by the traditional “stylobate”. The authors of the project see symbolism in their decision: they are engaged in speculation on the stock exchange, its work is based on intangible assumptions and assumptions, and therefore its base hangs in the air. In addition, it is so clearly visible to the townspeople - especially at night, when the operating room is brightly lit.
The facades of the 254-meter skyscraper (46 floors) are the “exoskeleton” of the building, which takes on part of the load. Its structural elements are covered with translucent patterned glass, thanks to which the image of the exchange changes depending on the lighting. Deep niches of window openings protect the interiors from the heat of the sun, which is very important in subtropical conditions. Thanks to this and its other features, the project claims to be one of the first in China to receive the eco-certificate "3 stars".
