A sky-high canyon of concrete and glass is the skyscraper Yidan Center, which recently reached its target height. The new project by Zaha Hadid Architects is being built in the booming city of Shenzhen. The parametric spill-over form is meant to refer to the nearby canyons, and the building will be part of a new cultural centre in China’s third largest city. Chinese billionaire Charles Chen Yidan, a key figure in global technology giant Tencent, is behind such an impressive investment.
Philanthropic giant
Measuring 199 m, the melting building will primarily be the headquarters of the Chen Yidan Foundation, which supports diverse education and development. Since 2016, the foundation has been rewarding the brightest minds and creating a learning community focused on improving education standards. Interestingly, Charles Yidan is the co-founder of gaming giant Tencent, whose share of the Chinese video game market ranges from 47% to as much as 51%. Tencent has majority or significant stakes in major Western mobile and computer game studios such as Riot Games and Epic Games.
The new Yidan Center is also expected to include an integration centre for residents of all age groups. The local community will be able to participate in meetings, exhibitions and various cultural events. Such a destination is expected to create a cohesive vision for a science and cultural centre in Shenzhen, and the nearby Qianhai Museum will complete the city’s new science and cultural quarter.
Canyon of a reborn civilisation
Equally thoughtful is the shape of the building itself. The gaping tower is reminiscent of nearby canyons on the one hand, while on the other the jagged, fluid shapes are reminiscent of a dense futuristic liquid. Of course, such dynamic shapes developed with the help of sophisticated computer programmes are nothing new to today’s architectural stars, but the appearance of the Yidan Center astonishes with the tower’s parting walls. Besides, the shape of the building carries an important message. The canyons of southern China, which have been traversed for millennia, symbolise the long history of the Middle Kingdom. In contrast, the futuristic glass and flowing forms are a demonstration of China’s constant technological progress. Other parametric designs, including the dancing towers of Shenzhen, can be seen HERE and HERE.
The interior of the ‘canyon’ will be lined with balconies and the architects want to include a large skylight in the base. Where possible, the terraces will be overgrown with lush greenery, which at such heights will behave similarly to that in a real canyon in Guangdong province. Interestingly, the green sections of the terraces will also collect rainwater.
The Yidan Center is not only about an unusual appearance, but also about advanced technological solutions. A dense arrangement of louvres to regulate the amount of light let in will reduce utility costs and provide the desired illumination. The double glazing of the façade, on the other hand, will improve heat insulation, and the VAV (Variable Air Volume) system will regulate room temperature by varying the amount of air supplied. It is also worth mentioning that the project includes an extensive photovoltaic installation.
Thus equipped, the building is expected to meet the highest Chinese and global standards such as LEED Gold. Shenzhen will gain a new scientific and cultural quarter, and the building will contribute as much as 165,815 square metres of space. Such futuristic shapes created by Zaha Hadid Architects perfectly reflect the dynamic development of Shenzhen, which back in 1980 had a population of around 59,000. Today, this number exceeds 13.5 million inhabitants.
Photo and visualisation source: Zaha Hadid Architects
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