Burj Khalifa Architect wins competition to design Chinese supertall
Adrian Smith’s firm to design Wuhan Greenland Center
Chicago-based architecture practice Adrian Smith and Gordon Gill Architects, has won a competition to design China’s third tallest building.
The 606 metre Wuhan Greenland Center, located in Wuhan, near the Yangtze and Han rivers, will be the fourth tallest in the world upon completion in 2017.
“We’re thrilled to be working with the Greenland Group once again,” said firm founder and Burj Khalifa architect Adrian Smith.
“We had a very good experience on the Nanjing project, and we think Wuhan promises to be just as rewarding. As always, we’re extremely impressed with Greenland’s commitment to good design and quality construction,” Smith added.
The project, by the Shanghai-based Greenland Group, marks the second collaboration with Smith and Gill, following the Nanjing Greenland Financial Center project.
On this project Smith and Gill will lead an interdisciplinary design team also including the structural engineers Thornton Tomasetti and energy services, engineering and consulting company PositivEnergy Practice.
The completed structure will also have a number of sustainability elements including an energy generating ventilation system; greywater recovery and high efficiency lighting.
“It’s an honor to be working with Greenland Group again on such a significant project,” Smith and Gill partner Robert Forest added.
“Wuhan Greenland Center continues our commitment to providing designs that enhance China’s ability to provide for an increasing population density while striving to reduce energy use and carbon emissions without compromising design quality, performance and cost,” Forest continued.
The 119-level Wuhan Greenland Center will measure 300,000 square meters of floor area, including about 200,000 sqm of offices, 50,000 sqm of luxury apartments and condominiums. Additionally, a 45,000 sqm five-star hotel, 27-meter-tall private club with spectacular views at the tower’s penthouse level, will also be constructed.
“Wuhan is an exciting and important project for our firm as we continue to advance our ideas about performance-based supertall tower design,” added Gordon Gill. “We look forward to building on past experience on similar projects, with particular emphasis on the relation of architectural form and performance as they pertain to structural wind loads. It’s very rewarding to be working with the Greenland team. We enjoyed our time on Nanjing and look forward to creating a world-class project with them for Wuhan.”
The project is still under design.
“One of the distinctive features of this project is the innovative introduction of vents at the tips of the three legs of the tower at vertical quarter sections that will reduce wind pressure on the tower and reduce the vortices that can cause horizontal acceleration of movement,” Smith said. “This feature, along with the elegant tapering of the tower, is an essential element in this performative design concept.”
