△ Aerial view
Located in Shenzhen’s Futian CBD near the Civic Center, this project occupies a prime site surrounded by numerous high-rise buildings, yet lacks display spaces. The site is relatively small and uniquely owned by two separate banks. Urban design guidelines require both companies to collaborate on a unified design and jointly construct a “shared hall” at the center of the site. However, both owners wish to avoid creating an actual shared property to prevent ownership disputes. These challenges formed the core difficulties of the design process.
To address these conflicts, the design adopted a “retreat as progress” strategy. Rather than competing with the surrounding towers with unconventional skyscrapers, two modest and simple towers were designed. The emphasis shifted to the human-scale base of the buildings, aiming to create a vibrant public node within the dense urban fabric of the CBD.
△ Skirt Building
△ Shared Space Entrance
The original concept of a “shared hall” was transformed: a sleek podium visually connects the two towers, while at ground level, a fully open public passage welcomes the city. This passage widens at the center, forming a tall glass dome topped with a skylight. The dome creates a unique crystalline light effect through the refraction and reflection of sunlight—something conventional glass structures do not achieve.
△ Light in the gaps of shared space
This glass dome serves as a sheltered shortcut for pedestrians traveling between neighboring properties and public transit stations, protecting them from sun and rain. It embodies the idea of a “hall shared with the city,” while also allowing the owners to avoid complications related to shared property ownership by maintaining the space as an open passage.
△ Inside the shared hall
△ Viewing the shared hall from the stairs
△ The street corner where Minsheng Bank is located
△ Street corner podium of Minsheng Bank
The building’s façade is dominated by vertical sunshade louvers. At the top and corners exposed to the most sunlight, the louvers twist 45 degrees and extend longer than the vertical sections, enhancing sun shading and creating a striking gradient effect under specific lighting conditions.
Southwest perspective
△ Roof Garden
The podium features numerous free-form surfaces, yet the design employs a standardized node system to support glass panels of any shape or angle. Inspired by a “gear” mechanism, this node structure allows for adjustment of installation errors and glass angles, significantly improving fabrication and construction efficiency.
△ Skirt Building Curtain Wall Node
Our goal was to create a building that is welcoming to the city. The streamlined form and captivating interplay of light and shadow offer a fresh interpretation of the “shared hall” concept. This building not only commands respect as a towering presence but also invites the public inside, where its openness and inclusiveness can be truly experienced.
△ Glass dome
△ South facade
Technical Drawings
△ Overall Site Plan
△ Floor Plan
Podium Structure Analysis Diagram
△ Form Development of the Shared Hall
△ Elevation Drawing
△ Section Diagram
Project Information
Architectural Firm: Zhubo Design Co., Ltd
Office Website: www.zhubo.com
Contact Email: branding@zhubo.com
Project Completion Year: 2019
Building Area: 136,000 square meters
Project Location: Futian Central District, Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China
Photographers: Zeng Zhe, Bai Yu, Gong Xiaowen
Lead Architects: Feng Guochuan, Liu Xiaoying, Gong Xiaowen, Xiong Guilin
Design Team: Liu Shaoyi, Xiao Yang, Colin Franzen, Chen Jiangfei, Wang Zhen, Li Junbin, Lu Yi, Zhao Xudong, Yin Yipeng, Shi Ruonan (intern), Wang Jinxing, Liu Ye, Gao Feng, He Qiujun, Cheng Yanhong, Yang Huilai, Xie Zexin, Li Na, Lv Shaohui
Principals: Bank of China Financial Leasing Co., Ltd., Minsheng Financial Leasing Co., Ltd.
Structural Design: Zhubo Design Co., Ltd
Landscape Design: Zhubo Design Co., Ltd
Construction: China Construction Fourth Engineering Bureau Co., Ltd. (general contractor), Shenzhen Sanxin Curtain Wall Engineering Co., Ltd. (podium curtain wall)
Consultant Company: VS-A (Skirt Curtain Wall Scheme Design)
Must log in before commenting!
Sign Up