
Architect Hans Hollein of Vienna has designed this high-rise office tower for Shenzhen, China.

Called SBF Tower, the 200 meter-tall building will have 42 storeys.

These will be divided into alternating zones, with six glazed storeys that have identical floor plates followed by five plates with irregular plans forming terraces.

This pattern will be repeated up the building.

A building around the tower’s base will house the entrance, a business centre and restaurant.

More Dezeen stories about Shenzhen:
Vanke Center Shenzhen by Steven Holl Architects
Shenzhen International Energy Mansion by BIG
Shenzhen Crystal Island by OMA and Urbanus
Shenzhen 4 Tower in 1 by Steven Holl Architects
China Insurance Group headquarters by Coop Himmelb(l)au
Museum of Contemporary Art & Planning Exhibition in Shenzhen by Coop Himmelb[l]au
Shenzhen Stock Exchange by OMA
Shenzhen International Airport Terminal 3 by Massimiliano and Doriana Fuksas

Here’s some more information from Hollein’s office:
Shenzhen / China
SBF Tower
The office tower has a strategic position within the texture of the city.
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Adjacent to the Town Hall and its main North-South axis, and located on East-West oriented Shen Nan Avenue, it has the pole position in the central quarter in Shenzhen, where in midst the stock exchange building dominates.
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The SFB Tower building contrasts to the stock exchange building. In actual fact it contrasts to any highrise in the vicinity because it is different. With its memorable design in an exposed corner position of the cluster, it becomes a dominant statement within the highrises.
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The tower building in plan is a simple square of 45 m x 45 m, with 42 floors and an overall height of 200 m and it features a total floor area of 80.500 m² above ground. A skirt building partially frames the tower in the base zone, where the entrance area, the public business hall and a high class restaurant are located.
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The tower building itself rises on top as a highly sculptured building with vertical gardens integrated in the architecture such giving the tower a very distinct appearance talking of alternative workstyle and sustainability.
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Vertically the tower is a layered structure featuring two different zones of 5 to 6 floors each which repeat alternating 3 and 4 times. One such zone has 6 identical floors with a square outer perimeter.
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But the other zone of 5 floors is highly complex in its outer appearance. Each individual floor is seemingly different; deep setbacks and far outreaching cantilevers interchange along the imaginary façade line and are overgrown with plants.
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These sky garden-levels also have the advantage that their purposely versatile outer appearance is very flexible and can easily answer individual situations. The main entrance lies in the north with a covered drive up. A ramp leads to the underground parking in the northwest of the access street in the west.

East two way exit ramp from the underground parking also connects up with the road system. A symbolic feng-shui door is positioned at the south eastern corner. The entrance lobby with the adjoining business hall has luxurious dimensions with tall spaces and interesting volumetric situations. The materials used are elegant surfaces of stone and wood, glass and metals.
See also:
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| Shenzhen Crystal Island by OMA and Urbanus |
Vanke Center Shenzhen by Steven Holl Architects |
Beirut Terraces by Herzog & de Meuron |










Not enough information on the irregular shaped floors to comment but it looks intriguing. Nice napkin sketch.
Wait, not so long ago the same building was designed by MVRDV, later on – thanks god – it was Coop Himmelb(l)au, now it is Hollein – thanks god again –
What’s actually going on there?
An interesting concept, which looks pretty horrid.
looks like lego
better to live in than look at perhaps?
Used to be one would design something beautiful to get publicity…
i think the sketch is way better than the project
Interesting but very very ugly. In a similar way to the Taipei Performing Arts Centre by OMA.
function before form, but this is horrible… a better form probably wouldn't hurt the concept or function, right?
It's like Center Pompidou meets simple clean tower…and that is why I just dont like it….2 so very different languages that seem to be mashed together for spectacle rather than considered design. Just my opinion, but this does not work, & sadly its why many people can't, or dont even try to undertand or appreciate contemporary architecture.
Undergraduate school called. They want their hallway display back.
Shenzhen is the worst city on earth so this wont really do any more harm.
the project seems to become more boring with every step it takes! the sketch looks promising… the plans are boring… and the renderings looks just horrible! one can literally feel the lack of innovation and will to do something good to the city of shenzhen in this project! please hans…
didn't know hollein was still alive….
This looks a bit like billionaire Mukesh Ambani's US$1 Billion dollar residence being built in Mumbai, India.
Holl'ein crap!
Not a bad solu wish i designe but I didn't so I can o sit around and mope.