Sited prominently along the Yangtze River, the Wuhan Greenland tower’s graceful, tapering form effectively unifies the office and residential uses within a gently curved volume and creates a unique presence on the city skyline. The cruciform geometry of the tower, derived from the plan of the upper floors of the Willis (formerly Sears) Tower, allow it to achieve the structural stability required for a building over 600 meters in height, and can be occupied efficiently and economically. Continuity of the vertical form is emphasized in the gently curved concave and convex surfaces which make up the main building elevations. The curves blur the boundaries between the various interior programs and culminate in a dynamic crown. The tower’s exterior is a silver high-performance glass curtain wall with aerodynamic vents that minimize wind pressure on the long elevations. These notches occur at mechanical and refuge floors and have been designed to allow for a significant reduction in steel required to support the tower. The open steelwork of the tower crown has a distinctive arched shape that ties the corners of the tower together both visually and structurally. This parabolic profile allows the building to be recognized not only within Wuhan, but throughout China.

Project Facts

Completion Year: 2010
Project Area: 644,480 m²
Building Height: 600 m