Star River Headquarters,
designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)
Architectural firm Skidmore, Owings and Merrill has completed a skyscraper rising on Pazhou Island in Guangzhou, China. The building serves as Star River's corporate headquarters and is an important part of a modern urban quarter that combines green, commercial and public spaces. Pazhou Island, located on the Pearl River, once served as a commercial center and is currently undergoing extensive modernization. Star River Headquarters is one of the key projects in this transformation process.
The Star River Headquarters skyscraper in Guangzhou, China - pleated facades create recesses that allow flexible office space arrangements
Photo by Seth Powers © Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)
An innovative combination of architecture
and engineering at Star River's headquarters
The design of Star River's headquarters harmoniously combines architectural and engineering elements to create a high-performance facility. The tower's tapered silhouette reduces wind loads, and rounded corners eliminate the need for interior columns, maximizing floor space and providing tenants with unobstructed views of the Pearl River.
The Star River Headquarters skyscraper in Guangzhou, China - a cross-section of the facade.
photo by Seth Powers © Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)
flexibility of office spaces
and a green oasis at the top of the tower
The pleated facades create recesses that allow for flexible arrangements of office spaces - both open and closed - along the building's perimeter. Stiles run along the entire height of the skyscraper on the pleated facade. At the top of the tower is an openwork structure that houses a greenhouse garden with plants of historical significance.
The Star River Headquarters skyscraper in Guangzhou, China - a bird's-eye view.
Photo by Seth Powers © Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)
raising pedestrian comfort
The rectangular plaza on which the skyscraper is located is surrounded by lush vegetation and a network of paved paths radiating out from the building's glass lobby. The first floor of the building was designed with an overhanging canopy that floats above the retail space. What's more, within the plaza there is a staircase leading through a specially designed lowering of the ground, which allows access to the underground retail spaces. This solution also provides a direct connection to the nearby subway line, improving the accessibility and functionality of the entire space.
The Star River Headquarters skyscraper in Guangzhou, China - within the plaza, a staircase has been designed leading through a specially designed ground depression, allowing access to underground retail spaces
photo by Seth Powers © Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)
sustainable design:
minimizing energy consumption
and improved thermal comfort
The building was designed to minimize its carbon footprint and reduce energy consumption, while providing a healthy and comfortable working environment.
The Star River Headquarters skyscraper in Guangzhou, China.
Photo by Seth Powers © Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)
The building's distinctive pleated façade limits direct sunlight while allowing diffuse daylight into the interiors. The use of state-of-the-art curtain walling and thermal insulation systems reduces cooling requirements and improves thermal comfort in window areas year-round.
The Star River Headquarters skyscraper in Guangzhou, China - a plot plan of the site on which the headquarters is located
photo by Seth Powers © Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)
A new generation of skyscrapers in Guangzhou
Nearby are two other skyscrapers designed by SOM - the Guangzhou Chamber of Commerce headquarters and the SANY Irootech Pazhou. Together with the Star River headquarters, the buildings form a new generation of office buildings that shape the city's skyline while promoting a new model of Chinese urbanism that combines landscape and public space.
Compiled by Anastazja Dżupina
Illustrations provided courtesy of SOM studio.
