GUANGZHOU CIRCLE BY AM PROJECT

The architectural concept intends to design landmark building that will be immediately perceived as native Chinese Landmark Building using a closed and central structure instead of the usual western skyscrapers stereotype.

Therefore the architecture is fully defined, and iconic, very close to the chinese way of perceiving and understanding. It’s a sort of “urban logo” that works as a landmark in the same way that ideograms are used in the Chinese writing, instead of the alphabet.

The architectural concept is inspired by the strong iconic value of jade discs and numerological tradition of fengh shui.

In particular, the double disc of jade (bidisk) is the royal symbol of ancient Chinese dynasty that reigned in this area around 2000 years ago.

The building reflected in the water of the river creates exactly the same image: a double jade disc. This figure also corresponds to the number 8 and infinity symbol that Chinese culture has a strong propitiatory value.

But the building is also a clear reference to the theme dear to the Italian Renaissance "quadratura del cerchio" (squaring the circle).

The two circular facades in fact contain and support suspended groups of storeys that are actually "squaring" the perfect circumference of the facades in order to make the interior space orthogonal and habitable.

The 33 floors are grouped to create two rows of volumes blocks that appears from the side of the building and are progressively pushed out till an extreme 25 meters cantilever.

The main interior space is the exchange hall that is located just lower then the central hole of the building. This is the heart of the entire complex and of the entire company.

The initial structural concept has been developed and tested at the wind gallery of Polytechnic of Milan, and the structural calculations and final test has been developed by the South China University of Technology (SCUT) in Guangzhou.

Location: Guangdong, China 
Architects: AM Project 
Designer: Joseph di Pasquale architect 
Project Team: Alessandro Tonassi, Nazareno Cerquaglia, Ma Jun, Zhang Hong Ge, Ma Chong, Wang Ying, Yi Ji Xuan, Peng Hui Fang, Cui Hong 
Preliminary Structural concept: SIGGMA engineering Milan 
Local architects and Enginering: SCUT, South China University of Technology, Tao Liang, Song Gang 
Structures: Wei Hong, Fang Xiao Dan 
Building site Engineer: Wang Zhan Shan, Chen Jing Qian 
Building: Guang Dong Hong He Constrction Ltd 
Steel structure: Zhe Jiang Jing Gong Steel Structure Ltd 
Facade: Shen Zhen Rui Hua Constrction ltd 
Interior: Shen Zhen Jian Hong Da Constrction ltd 
Area: 85000.0 sqm 
Year: 2013 
Client: Guang Dong Hong Da Xing Ye Group, Mr Zhou Yi Feng (CEO), Mr Lu Xiao Qing (inernational relations) 
Photographs: Courtesy of Joseph di Pasquale architect