The Kunming Junfa Dongfeng Square project showcases site-specific MEP solutions that integrate SOM’s architectural, structural, and sustainable design services. Located in the highly seismic Yunnan province in southwest China, this 456-meter tower requires a robust structural system. To increase resilience, mega-columns in each corner must be separated, creating a void. SOM’s early interdisciplinary collaboration enabled the team to propose eco-chimneys in this void, providing free cooling for half of the year through buoyancy-driven natural ventilation.
The eco-chimneys not only integrate with the structural system, but also enhance the skyscraper’s three anchoring corners, an architectural focal point. The chimneys point toward the “Eye of Spring” in the tower’s crown, which will be visible throughout the city.