Tianhong Headquarters Building / CCDI

Diamond shape facade. Image © Tianpei Ceng

Architects: CCDI
Location: No. 3019 Nanshan District Central Road, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
Architect In Charge: Lang Wang
Design Team: CCDI 21 Design Studio
Client: Tianhong shopping malls, Ltd.
Area: 86543.53 m2
Project Year: 2014
Photographs: Tianpei Ceng

Text description provided by the architects. Tianhong’s headquarters project locate in Shenzhen Houhai Central District, connecting with the Financial and Commercial Zone and Nanshan Neiwan Park, about 400 meters away from the subway line 2 Dengliang Station. The east side of the project is the central road and Houhai River, the south side is the substation, the north side is the green land, the northwest side is the planned public park. The building will be built into Tianhong’s headquarters office and the flagship store of Tianhong shopping mall — Jun Shang department store. Nanshan Houhai District has become a mature business circle nearby No. 1 Shenzhen Bay, surrounded by intensive large-scale residential areas and large-scale international headquarters business office area, and provides a 24-hour urban vitality source to this project .

Based on the analysis of the urban design conditions and the surrounding environment of the block, we drew out the following design strategies.

1. If the building falls to the ground directly, it will form a self-enclosed private space, showing a passive indifference to the urban interface. Therefore, we will erect the main commercial podium forming arcade on the ground floor to create rich and pleasant urban environment, which pedestrian space combined with various small-scale commercial boxes.

2. In the northwest corner of the site, the building draw back to form the urban public activity area, connected with the East-West pedestrian corridor crossing the base and the North pedestrian green axis.

3. A multi-level and pleasant-scale atrium in the shopping mall connects with the urban pedestrian corridor and the urban public square on the northwest side to form a whole flowing public space system, naturally introducing urban flow into the shopping mall. There is a roof top garden located on the top of the podium, which combines business activities and opens to the urban public moderately. Each open space accommodates a variety of urban life, and each activity stimulates each other to form a huge urban energy, bringing vitality to the commercial space.

4. The office tower is divided into corresponding functional modules according to the office requirements of Tianhong Headquarters, adding some cantilevered “square boxes” to form a rich system of sky gardens on the premise of not affecting the use of functions. Improving the office quality of Tianhong Headquarters, the building shares the green space to the city, naturally creating a unique image. The façade uses LED (low-energy lamp )band to form a diamond-shaped skin that texture would be impressive .

5. The podium part, wrapped in light-colored stones, gives a solid and steady volume, and the corner part is decorated with gradient strip windows. The changes of lights and exquisite details are stunning.

6. We will directly reflect the function of the project in the form of the building, embedded by a multi-level, pleasant scale of the city square, atrium, green platform composed of the overall flow of public space system. in conformity with planning guidelines and economic and practical basis, the building form diversified，vibrant，fashionable and innovative image，like magic boxes stacked together.

In the preliminary tender, we used the concept of multi-layer flexible separation of “business magic box” to gain a more active business atmosphere, and get the approval of clients. After winning the tender, in the mutual communication stage between the two parties, clients hope to enhance the integrity of the building, thereby reflecting a more stable, high-end corporate headquarters image. Therefore, we further integrated the shape of the office tower, and merged the facade and shape of the commercial podium with the tower, highlighting the high-end image of the Tianhong Group. In the further deepening process of the scheme, we continue to optimize the facade and block details. In the context of the declining real economy, Tianhong Department Store, one of the old department stores in Shenzhen, is also actively thinking about the transformation of business model. The traditional form of department stores has met its difficulty, they need to find the new answer for customers. Therefore, in the process of deepening, the design of the interior space of Junshang Department Store has changed greatly, adding more experiential commercial space, exhibitions, handicrafts，product production, cinema, indoor sports and other functions are introduced, by creating a new immersive shopping experience to attract more people to come visit.