Guangxi China Resources Tower, a new 403-meter-tall (1,322 feet) skyscraper in Nanning, China features the world’s highest outdoor pool—at 323 meters (1,060 feet) above grade. The tower is the 18th tallest building in China and the 37th tallest in the world.
The architecture was inspired by the crystalline forms associated with the mountains of Guangxi. The structure’s faceted and fragmented geometry provides a multitude of surfaces that reflect the changing light qualities of the tropical sky. The character of the tower changes throughout the day, mirroring the mood of the city.
Horizontal sunshades delicately extend across the façade in a consistent texture, shading the floor-to-ceiling glass of the building’s interior spaces. This simple clarity of the façade results in a cohesive legibility of its angular geometry and creates a bold contrast to both the lush vegetation of the region and the surrounding mixture of architectural styles, according to a news release from Goettsch Partners (GP), the project’s design architect.
The 86-story tower anchors a 900,000-square-meter multifunctional transit-oriented development of retail, commercial office, residential, and luxury hospitality. The high-rise totals 272,260 square meters, composed of the 336-key Shangri-La Nanning hotel, 172,740 square meters of office space, and 5,930 square meters of retail space.
Located on the lower floors, the office program is distinguished with a single-sided taper of the south façade that strategically reduces the floor plate depths as the tower rises in response to the stepping core. Atop the office volume, a dramatic shift in the building profile occurs as the hotel program emerges. A terrace at Level 71 caps the lower volume and creates a unique outdoor sky space, featuring the hotel pool. Dramatic views of the surrounding lakes, parks, and mountains extend in all directions, enlivened by the 180-degree view from sunrise to sunset.
The complex includes interconnected podium and basement floors that form a cohesive network of buildings optimized to benefit the larger master planned development. External sunshades and a high-performance façade enclosure system help to reduce energy loads while delivering natural light and exceptional views to all floors. Optimized mechanical systems maximize the efficiency to minimize energy and water consumption while creating a comfortable indoor environment.
On the Building Team:
Owner and/or developer: China Resources Land Limited (CR Land)
Design architect: Goettsch Partners
Architect of record: CCDI Group
MEP engineer: Parsons Brinkerhoff
Structural engineer: RBS Architectural Engineering Design Associates
General contractor/construction manager: China Construction Eighth Engineering Division
Related Stories
Engineers | Sep 8, 2023
Secrets of a structural engineer
Walter P Moore's Scott Martin, PE, LEED AP, DBIA, offers tips and takeaways for young—and veteran—structural engineers in the AEC industry.
Giants 400 | Aug 30, 2023
Top 75 Engineering Firms for 2023
Kimley-Horn, WSP, Tetra Tech, Langan, and IMEG head the rankings of the nation's largest engineering firms for nonresidential buildings and multifamily buildings work, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report.
Building Team | Aug 28, 2023
Navigating challenges in construction administration
Vessel Architecture's Rebekah Schranck, AIA, shares how the demanding task of construction administration can be challenging, but crucial.
Giants 400 | Aug 22, 2023
2023 Giants 400 Report: Ranking the nation's largest architecture, engineering, and construction firms
A record 552 AEC firms submitted data for BD+C's 2023 Giants 400 Report. The final report includes 137 rankings across 25 building sectors and specialty categories.
Senior Living Design | Aug 7, 2023
Putting 9 senior living market trends into perspective
Brad Perkins, FAIA, a veteran of more than four decades in the planning and design of senior living communities, looks at where the market is heading in the immediate future.
Resiliency | Jul 27, 2023
'Underground climate change' can damage building foundations, civil infrastructure
A phenomenon known as “underground climate change” can lead to damage of building foundations and civil infrastructure, according to a researcher at Northwestern University. When the ground gets hotter, it can expand and contract, causing foundations to move and sometimes crack.
Sponsored | Fire and Life Safety | Jul 12, 2023
Fire safety considerations for cantilevered buildings [AIA course]
Bold cantilevered designs are prevalent today, as developers and architects strive to maximize space, views, and natural light in buildings. Cantilevered structures, however, present a host of challenges for building teams, according to José R. Rivera, PE, Associate Principal and Director of Plumbing and Fire Protection with Lilker.
Apartments | Jun 27, 2023
Dallas high-rise multifamily tower is first in state to receive WELL Gold certification
HALL Arts Residences, 28-story luxury residential high-rise in the Dallas Arts District, recently became the first high-rise multifamily tower in Texas to receive WELL Gold Certification, a designation issued by the International WELL Building Institute. The HKS-designed condominium tower was designed with numerous wellness details.
Industry Research | May 22, 2023
2023 High Growth Study shares tips for finding success in uncertain times
Lee Frederiksen, Managing Partner, Hinge, reveals key takeaways from the firm's recent High Growth study.
Mass Timber | May 1, 2023
SOM designs mass timber climate solutions center on Governors Island, anchored by Stony Brook University
Governors Island in New York Harbor will be home to a new climate-solutions center called The New York Climate Exchange. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), The Exchange will develop and deploy solutions to the global climate crisis while also acting as a regional hub for the green economy. New York’s Stony Brook University will serve as the center’s anchor institution.
