Science City Center

The Science City Center complex serves as a testament of the shift in this rapidly developing district of Guangzhou: from industrial suburb to increasingly future-oriented business hub. The modern design featuring two towers and four low-rise buildings will house headquarters for small companies, rental offices, a hotel, a conference center and retail spaces.

The sloped plot faces unique planning conditions, located between lush hills and an area hitherto focused on industry. In order to create a landmark that stands out from its context – and serves as a beacon of change in the region – HENN's design follows a grid that is rotated by 45 degrees that opens up the existing rhythm of the urban fabric.

The design redefines the archetype of the skyscraper and proposes a set of twin towers of different heights (150 and 80 meters) that are interlocked at their corners. On the ground floor, the entrances to both volumes feature double-height lobbies. The two towers interweave the floors that house the office functions and hotel functions respectively in a figure-eight shaped floor plan allowing for dynamic circulation between the two towers. The taller tower, whose upper floors serve only as the hotel, features a sky garden on the top floor. A sky lobby, which serves the hotel, is located halfway up the tower. A glazed sky escalator connects the lobby with the conference center and event hall in the central lower building, enabling three-dimensional traffic within the complex.

The masterplan complements the cluster of buildings with a luscious landscape of greenery both on street-level and select rooftops that links the plot with a large neighboring green-zone. The result is a unique gesture, producing a group of dynamic buildings that surround an active city square with two conjoined towers that look out over the area.

The geometric façade, following an expressive crystalline design language, contrasts with the organic landscape design. Aluminum fins running diagonally provide natural shading for the interior spaces, giving a sense of movement to the building. These sharp geometries are interrupted by the sky lobby, which is formed by a continuous amorphous glass surface that cuts gently into the outside corner of the tower. As a space that is at the heart of different circulation paths, it connects multiple programs, bringing people together and offering unique views onto the evolving urban district and verdant surroundings.