In Architectural Record’s Tall Buildings issue, our recently completed Sany iROOTECH Headquarters in Guangzhou is described as one that “elicits a sense of floating—both in terms of its engineering and its relationship to its surroundings.” Located in the Pazhou district, the two-tower complex integrates architecture, engineering, and landscape through its steel diagrid exoskeleton, elevated podium, and publicly accessible spaces.

The towers rise from an elevated podium that connects them above the street and introduces a covered arcade with retail, dining, and recreational spaces. A landscaped terrace extends this public realm vertically, linking multiple levels of the project. “We wanted landscape flowing throughout the project,” says Design Partner Brian Lee.

The external diagrid structure suspends five-story floor modules, enabling flexible, column-free interiors that accommodate evolving program requirements, including office, hotel, and residential uses.

Designed for a region subject to typhoons and seismic activity, the project also incorporates SOM’s patented pin-fuse joint system at a building scale. The system introduces ductility and dissipates energy during seismic events, supporting rapid reoccupancy. “The goal is to create resilient structures that not only survive extreme events, but can be occupied shortly afterward,” says Structural Engineering Partner Mark Sarkisian.