Zhengzhou Greenland Plaza by SOM
22/01/2013.
[Zhengzhou - Henan] China
metalocus, PEDRO NAVARRO
metalocus, PEDRO NAVARRO
The tallest building in the central Chinese city, Zhengzhou Greenland Plaza houses a mixed-use program of offices on its lower floors and a 453-room hotel above.
Sophisticated aluminum screens are configured at an outward cant that enhances interior daylighting through scientifically calculated reflections, while protecting the all-glass exterior from solar gain. The same outward cant allows for a nuanced approach to artificial lighting, providing for dramatic nighttime lighting of the building which makes the tower a beacon.
Conceived as a classical column, the tower includes a heliostat that crowns the building and reflects daylight throughout the hotel atrium. Computer-controlled dimmer switches modulate the light level based on the illumination provided by the reflector, enabling the atrium to consume less energy and generate less heat throughout the year.
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM) is one of the leading architecture, interior design, engineering, and urban planning firms in the world, with a 75-year reputation for design excellence and a portfolio that includes some of the most important architectural accomplishments of the 20th and 21st centuries.
Since its inception, SOM has been a leader in the research and development of specialized technologies, new processes and innovative ideas, many of which have had a palpable and lasting impact on the design profession and the physical environment.
The firm’s longstanding leadership in design and building technology has been honored with more than 1,700 awards for quality, innovation, and management. The American Institute of Architects has recognized SOM twice with its highest honor, the Architecture Firm Award—in 1962 and again in 1996. The firm maintains offices in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., London, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Mumbai, and Abu Dhabi.