China skyscrapers win award for smart earthquake design
Two new skyscrapers in Guangzhou have won the Best Tall Building Worldwide award. Their innovative exoskeletons respond cleverly to wind and earthquakes.
Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill with the Beijing Institute of Architectural Design, the towers rise to 204 meters and 186 meters in Guangzhou. Construction machinery giant Sany commissioned this project for their specific headquarters needs.
Concern over wind and seismic activity shaped the unique hexagrid pattern featuring greenery integrated directly into the building facade for a modern look. Four out of five floors hang from the frame to create flexible, daylit office spaces inside the structure.
Mark Sarkisian from SOM explained that the system clamps steel plates with friction material so the bracing slides during extreme earthquakes to dissipate energy. This approach allows the building to remain stiff for daily winds while softening when major seismic events occur unexpectedly.
The buildings contain work areas plus a hotel and residential units while landscaped terraces provide communal outdoor areas at five-floor intervals throughout. An elevated podium frees up ground space for a public plaza featuring gardens and art for local community use.
“We believe it's the future of seismic design for tall buildings.”