Currently the seventh-tallest building in the world and the tallest building north of the Yangtze River in China, the Tianjin CTF Finance Centre is a 530m tall skyscraper with a total GFA of 389,900 sq. m., consisting of a 103-storey tower, a five-storey podium and a four-storey basement. RLP was chosen as the Executive Architect on this massive project.
This comprehensive development project comprises retail, office, hotel, and serviced apartment functions. The striking, intricate building façade has made it into an icon for the city. Made up of 14,000 different-shaped components, the façade’s geometric design greatly increased the difficulty of the construction which RLP overcame through the application of state-of-the-art BIM technology. For example, at the start of the construction process, experts estimated that at least 1,308 independent asymmetric insulating glass units (IGUs) would be required for the unique curtain wall structure. But after performing BIM analysis and using repeated data modelling, we reduced the number of IGUs needed to 476 – a decrease of over 60%, saving an enormous amount of resources and costs. Even so, it was still one the most challenging skyscraper construction projects ever seen in China.
The tower’s quadrate-shaped base makes intelligent use of space, with the shape of the tower becoming more and more slender as it stretches to the upper levels, creating a uniquely beautiful irregular spiral appearance. In terms of functionality, the retail podiums and offices are designed for the lower storeys, from the G/F to level 48, where the interior layout is more rectangular in shape.
