Goettsch Partners to design three-building Optics Valley Center complex
By David Malone, Associate Editor
A new complex coming to Wuhan, China will provide nearly 3.4 million sf of space across three buildings. At the core of the new Optics Valley Center, will stand a 400-meter-tall office tower.
Designed by Chicago-based Goettsch Partners, the tower combines rounded corners with a taper that will work together to reduce wind pressures on the structure. Exterior shades wrap the building and create a rhythmic pattern. According to the architect, the use of color in the façade is meant to reinforce the digital rhythm and provide a subtle reference to the local technology culture.
The tower will be built on two main parcels of land to the southeast of the Wuhan city center. A green belt will run through the heart of the new district and ensure natural light and parkland will be available for all of the structures.
Two new subway lines will provide access to the parcels and a new commuter node will become the epicenter of activity and ensure immediate integration into the broader city.
Greenland Group is developing the project, which hopes to achieve LEED Gold certification. Currently, the development is scheduled to open in 2022.