April 7, 2006—Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) has won an international competition in China to design one of the most environmentally sustainable buildings in the world, according to the Chicago-based architecture and engineering firm.
SOM, in cooperation with the Guangzhou Pearl River Engineering Construction Supervision Corp. and Guangzhou Design Institute, will design Pearl River Tower, a 69-story corporate headquarters for the CNTC Guangdong Company. The tower will be built in Guangzhou, China, a subtropical port city of 6.6 million located in182 kilometers from Hong Kong.
The tower will have an array of design and mechanical features. Winds directed into openings on the mechanical floor will power turbines that operate the tower’s heating, cooling, and ventilation systems. Solar collectors convert the sun’s energy into electricity. Energy consumption is diminished by maximizing natural daylight, reducing solar gain in air conditioned spaces, retaining rainwater for consumption by HVAC systems, and using the sun to heat the hot water supply. Stack venting, heat sinks, and slab cooling cool the building.
SOM was selected over seven design firms from four countries. CNTC Guangdong Company President Xiang Jim Cheng says the design “is the prototype for the intelligent building of the future—highly efficient, sustainable and self-sufficient.” Groundbreaking is scheduled for July 2006 with occupancy in fall 2009.
For more information, visit the Skidmore, Owings & Merrill Web site.
