Greenland Group Suzhou Center

Besides looking almost exactly like the drawings of “The Future” from the years when computers were still the size of rooms, the Greenland Group Suzhou Center in Wujiang, China is packed with functional intricacies and green innovations. Coming from the minds of the people working in the Chicago office of SOM – Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP, this design is one of the sleekest to date. The curved glass looks like liquid metal curving in, over and around the edges of the frame, which hollows out at the top and sides. The structure will employ a number of high efficiency measures that will achieve a 60% savings in both energy consumption and potable water use. These sustainable elements paired with the undeniable beauty of the building are meant to represent the bright future of the city, and as it is positioned right on the lake, the high-rise will leave this optimistic mark on the skyline.

The main feature of this design is the semi-controlled atrium, which allows for the optimal amount of natural ventilation and sunlight in the public spaces. In other words, it acts kind of a lung, allowing the building to breathe – to take in new air and expel the stale air. This high-rise lung takes advantage of its surroundings and recourses provided by nature; it is positioned in just the right way to optimize the stack effect of the winds coming off of the adjacent lake. Some other functional features include a high performance façade, natural light harvesting through innovative openings in the frame, energy recovery systems and an on-site energy center.

This 75-story work of art will house a hotel, residential space and office space – but it will all be brought together by bright, expansive lobby space full of sunlight and sleek, geometric lines. The clean design will surely become a highlight of the Wujiang skyline once the blueprints come to life.