German studio HENN is announced winner of a competition to design a 280-meter skyscraper in Taiyuan, China. The new tower for the Venke Group will be located on the north-south axis in the center of the Chinese metropolis. It is designed as a mixed-use – office space will be housed together with a hotel on the upper floors and a retail area at the basement level.

Regarding the form of the skyscraper, the longer sides are shaped as convex shells with vertically accented facades, constructed with opaque aluminum elements and glass of different degrees of transparency. Due to trapezoid-like shape which significantly reduces with the building height in the upper levels, the amount of directs sunlight is precisely determined, as it has to perfectly suit the planned use of the space within. Therefore the offices receive optimum solar shading and maximum interior daylight, the hotel guests can enjoy the widest possible views over the city. The overall presence of the building is powerful and solid, and the narrower sides of the tower with their concave curvatures and smooth glass surfaces are helping the appearance. The structure is elegant and diagonally braced, and it allows views into the building’s interior. The entrance area of the high-rise is located on the west side of the building, along the busy boulevard.

HENN has been busy in China over past years, as they designed several skyscrapers, including a 450-meter tower for Haikou and five towers for the business district of Wenzhou.