Ping An Asset Tower
Planetworks elevates the third in a series of tall towers for Ping An in the heart of Shenzhen—a cornerstone project where we refined our approach to integrating human-centric experiences within urban skyscrapers.
BRINGING A BUILDING TO LIFE
The proposal resulted in an exposed, outdoor ceiling at the bottom of the uplifted tower - a ‘fifth facade’ absent in nearly all buildings.
The proximity of the ceiling to the elevated plaza initiated a dialogue between the building and pedestrians which the team believed could be enhanced by animating the exposed surface.
LOCATION: Shenzhen I China
CLIENT： Pingan Property & Casualty Insurance
PROGRAMS： Headquaters+Retail
SCALE： 115,000 m² / 208.5 m
COMPLETION：2022
ELEVATING EXPERIENCE
Planetworks deconstructed the imposing scale of the high-rise tower into relatable human experiences. We designed an uplifted tower base to not only provide open, communal settings amid the urban sprawl but also serve as focal points where nature and architecture converge. By making the towering structure more accessible and inviting, we aim to transform it into a series of personal encounters that resonate with daily human interactions.
OPEN & CONNECT URBAN CENTER
How to increase density on the site while opening and connecting one of the world’s busiest urban centers?
AI Planetworks’ solution was to float the mass of the 208-meter tall, thirty-seven story tower to create an elevated public plaza which connects to Shenzhen’s pedestrian bridge network.
SHARED SKY
The building also features a distinctive “sixth facade” - a butterfly-shaped trellis - which crowns a rooftop solarium. While being the most attractive space for a tall building, the roof spaces of towers are typically occupied by mechanical and building maintenance equipment.
PingAn asset insurance tower returns the sky to the building users by providing a rooftop solarium which has multi-dimension permeable facade at 208m tall. The glass barrier created by traditional towers is diminished and people can reconnect with outdoor and nature again.
Inspired by bioluminescence in nature, the designers at AI Planetworks felt that, not only could they animate a building by providing it with a central nervous system, but they could also make it appear as if the building is communicating.
Finally, the team was inspired by the morning glories which can open and close as the light changes, which leads to a high-tech facade solution: a city-scale interactive ceiling named CELIA (Computer Enhanced, Luminous Interactive Architecture). This innovative ceiling processes sensor data, generating intricate motion and lighting patterns in response to human movement and the building’s internal systems.