About CITIC Tower
CITIC Tower will be the flagship building of Beijing’s comprehensively planned 30-hectare central business district core.
The tower’s gently rising and curving form resembles an ancient Chinese ceremonial vessel, called the “zun.” The design concept is that of a transforming shell that gradually bends to create a dramatic form. This concept is also applied to other key elements of the tower, including the entrances, ground-floor lobby, and observation deck. At the base, the tower thrusts into the ground with massive corner supports, while the exterior shell is gently lifted up and stretched forward at the four sides. The design physically extends the lobby outward, forming dynamic drop-off spaces. At the top, the exterior envelope becomes more transparent at the observation deck and allows more visibility to the inner trumpet-shaped business center, which lights up at night, forming a beacon that will be visible throughout the city.
Compared to a typically straight or tapering supertall tower form, the concave tower profile offers more valuable prime-floor spaces and ample space for window washing, as well as other support systems, at the top of the tower. While the large top poses significant structural challenges, the larger base provides an opportunity for structural balance, formal contrast, and preferred core-to-perimeter distances.
In a city with the highest seismic fortification requirement of the major cities in China, the structural system was particularly sensitive to adjustments in the complex form of the building. Architects and engineers utilized parametric modeling to greatly expedite the design and coordination process to ensure that the design achieved both an iconic form and a solid structural system.
CTBUH Initiatives
CTBUH 2019 Award of Excellence Winners Announced
5 Dec 2018
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Awards Event
CTBUH Participates in the China Zun Forum
22 Jun 2018
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Event
2018 Tall Building Predictions
17 Jan 2018
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CTBUH News
More Initiatives
CTBUH Initiatives Related to CITIC Tower
CTBUH 2019 Award of Excellence Winners Announced
5 Dec 2018, Chicago
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Awards Event
These projects will be represented at the CTBUH 2019 Tall + Urban Innovation Conference, where they will compete in real time for winning distinctions in each category.
CTBUH Participates in the China Zun Forum
22 Jun 2018, Beijing
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Event
CTBUH participated in the China Zun Forum which explored how the China Zun tower can serve as an innovative model for the international tall building industry.
2018 Tall Building Predictions
17 Jan 2018, Chicago
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CTBUH News
Check out all of our 2018 Tall Building Predictions, and dive into the full 2017 Tall Building Year in Review data report.
Queensland Infrastructure Seminar 3
7 Sep 2017, Brisbane
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Event
Report
The CTBUH Australia Chapter’s Brisbane Committee held the third of its 2017 breakfast seminar series on Queensland Infrastructure.
2016 China-Japan-Korea Tall Building Forum
8 Jul 2016, Tokyo
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Event
The third China-Japan-Korea Tall Building Forum was held at the Tokyo Institute of Technology, on the topic of "Innovative Motion Engineering in Tall Buildings."
China Zun Visit
23 Apr 2016, Beijing
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Tour
Report
Nearly 20 local professionals came together for a visit to the under construction China Zun Tower, the future tallest building in Beijing.
Beijing Regional Tour Report
20-21 Sep 2014, Beijing
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Tour
Report
Attendees of the Beijing tour toured the new CBD development on the east side of town, projected to contain 15 towers, many of whose foundations were already visibly underway.
Whirlwind Tour Stirs Up More Interest in Shanghai Conference
7-13 Mar 2014
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Tour
Report
On a second intensive journey inside six months, Executive Director Antony Wood traveled to China to make additional connections and develop further support.
CTBUH Releases Year in Review: Tall Trends of 2018
12 Dec 2018
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CTBUH News
Report
The astronomical growth in tall building construction observed over the past decade continued in 2018, though the total number
of completed buildings of 200 meters’ or greater height leveled off at…
Videos
Ceremonial Influences Form a Modern Flagship Building for Beijing’s CBD
10 Apr 2019 –
Wuren Wang, CITIC HEYE Investment CO., LTD.; Robert Whitlock, Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates
China Zun: Shaping the Future Skyline of Beijing
18 Sep 2014 –
Weiping Shao, Beijing Institute of Architectural Design
Interview: Nengjun Luo
18 Sep 2014 –
Vice General Manager, CITIC HEYE Investment CO., LTD.
More Videos
Videos Related to CITIC Tower
Videos Related to CITIC Tower
Ceremonial Influences Form a Modern Flagship Building for Beijing’s CBD
10 Apr 2019 –
Presentation at CTBUH 2019 Shenzhen Tall + Urban Conference;
Wuren Wang, CITIC HEYE Investment CO., LTD.; Robert Whitlock, Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates
China Zun is the flagship building of Beijing’s comprehensively planned 30-hectare central business district core. Its gently rising and curving form embodies the…
China Zun: Shaping the Future Skyline of Beijing
18 Sep 2014 –
Presentation at CTBUH 2014 Shanghai Conference;
Weiping Shao, Beijing Institute of Architectural Design
Due to the site location, China Zun has been a high-profile project from the very beginning. The new height of 528m would make the China Zun the new landmark for the…
Interview: Nengjun Luo
18 Sep 2014 –
2014 Shanghai Conference Interviews;
Vice General Manager, CITIC HEYE Investment CO., LTD.
Thursday 18th September 2014. Shanghai, China. Nengjun Luo of CITIC HEYE Investment CO., LTD. is interviewed by Chris Bentley during the 2014 CTBUH Shanghai Conference at…
Design Challenges of the 3 Tallest Buildings in North/ East/ South China
17 Sep 2014 –
Presentation at CTBUH 2014 Shanghai Conference;
Kam Chuen (Vincent) Tse & Lung Wai (Herbert) Lam, Parsons Brinckerhoff
This presentation describes the MEP and VTS design challenges of the tallest buildings in three major cities in China; namely, Beijing, Suzhou and Guangzhou. The 530m…
Interview: Integration of Tall Buildings
11 Jun 2013 –
2013 London Conference Interviews;
Sir Terry Farrell, Farrells; Stephan Krummeck, Farrells
Sir Terry Farrell & Stephan Krummeck of Farrells are interviewed by Jeff Herzer during the 2013 CTBUH London Conference at The Brewery, London. Terry and Stephan talk…
Browse hundreds of other videos from Council events including conferences and interviews with prominent tall building professionals in the Video Library
Research Papers
Tall + Urban Innovation 2020: Dominant Trends
Mar 2020 –
CTBUH Journal 2020 Issue II
The Tallest 20 in 2020: Predictions vs. Reality
Mar 2020 –
CTBUH Journal 2020 Issue II
The Tallest 20 in 2020: Then and Now
Mar 2020 –
CTBUH Journal 2020 Issue II
More Papers
Papers Related to CITIC Tower
Papers Related to CITIC Tower
Tall + Urban Innovation 2020: Dominant Trends
Mar 2020 –
CTBUH Journal 2020 Issue II; CTBUH Research
Providing a global overview of tall building development, design and construction, the CTBUH Awards Program and related Tall + Urban Innovation Conference annually survey…
The Tallest 20 in 2020: Predictions vs. Reality
Mar 2020 –
CTBUH Journal 2020 Issue II; CTBUH Research
In the first edition of the 2012 Journal, CTBUH published a Tall Buildings in Numbers study titled Tallest 20 in 2020: Era of the Megatall—The Projected World’s Tallest…
The Tallest 20 in 2020: Then and Now
Mar 2020 –
CTBUH Journal 2020 Issue II; CTBUH Research
This research paper undertakes a review of the 2012 report by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, “Tallest 20 in 2020: Entering the Era of the Megatall,”…
The Global Tall Building Picture: Impact of 2019
Jan 2020 –
CTBUH Journal 2020 Issue I; CTBUH Research
In 2019, 126 buildings of 200 meters’ height or greater were completed. This was a 13.7 percent decrease from 146 in 2018. The total number of
200-meter-plus buildings…
Best Tall Buildings 2019: Dominant Trends
Apr 2019 –
CTBUH Journal 2019 Issue II; CTBUH
This year, CTBUH has vastly expanded its Awards program to consider the Best Tall Building category through several classes of
height, rather than geographic regions,…
China Zun: Beijing’s New Icon, 2018’s Tallest
Jan 2019 –
CTBUH Journal 2019 Issue I; Wuren Wang, CITIC HEYE Investment Co. Ltd.
At 528 meters, China Zun was the tallest building completed in 2018, and became the new tallest building in Beijing. It is the anchor of a 30-hectare new central business…
The Global Tall Building Picture: Impact of 2018
Jan 2019 –
CTBUH Journal 2019 Issue I; CTBUH Research
In 2018, 143 buildings of 200 meters’ height or greater were completed. This is a slight decrease from 2017’s record-breaking total of 147, and it
brings the total…
Year in Review: Tall Trends of 2018
12 Dec 2018 –
CTBUH Journal 2019 Issue I; CTBUH Research
The astronomical growth in tall building construction observed over the past decade continued in 2018, though the total number
of completed buildings of 200 meters’ or…
Developments of Structural Systems Toward Mile-High Towers
1 Sep 2018 –
International Journal of High-rise Buildings Volume 7 Number 3; Kyoung Sun Moon, Yale University School of Architecture
Tall buildings which began from about 40 m tall office towers in the late 19th century have evolved into mixed-use megatall towers over 800 m. It is expected that even…
Significant Progress in Construction Equipment of Super High-Rise Building
1 Sep 2018 –
International Journal of High-rise Buildings Volume 7 Number 3; Kun Zhang & Hui Wang & Kaiqiang Wang & Jian Cui & Bo Chen and Di Li, China Construction Third Engineering Bureau Group Co., Ltd
The construction of rapid developing super high-rise buildings constantly faces great challenges and the innovation of construction equipment is a focus of these…
The Structural Design of “China Zun” Tower, Beijing
Sep 2016 –
International Journal of High-Rise Buildings Volume 5 Number 3; Liu Peng, Cheng Yu & Zhu Yan-Song, Arup
The “China Zun” tower in Beijing will rise to 528 meters in height and will be the tallest building in Beijing once built. Inspired by an ancient Chinese vessel, the “…
Case Study: China Zun Tower, Beijing
16 Sep 2014 –
CTBUH Journal, 2014 Issue III; Robert Whitlock & Li Lei, Kohn Pedersen Fox; Luo Nengjun, CITIC Heye Investment Co. Ltd.; Liu Peng, Arup
China Zun Tower will be the flagship building of Beijing’s comprehensively planned 30-hectare central business district core. The 528-meter-tall tower will stand far…
China Zun: Shaping the Future Skyline of Beijing
16 Sep 2014 –
CTBUH 2014 Shanghai Conference Proceedings; Weiping Shao, Beijing Institute of Architectural Design
Due to the site location, China Zun has been a high-profile project from the very beginning. The new height of 528m would make the China Zun the new landmark for the…
Design Challenges of the 3 Tallest Buildings in North/ East/ South China
16 Sep 2014 –
CTBUH 2014 Shanghai Conference Proceedings; Kam Chuen (Vincent) Tse, Lung Wai (Herbert) Lam, Sheung Lai (Eddie) Leung & Leung Wing (Daniel) Ho, Parsons Brinckerhoff
This paper describes the MEP and VTS design challenges of the tallest buildings in three major cities in China; namely, Beijing, Suzhou and Guangzhou. The 530m Guangzhou…
Urban Models for the 21st Century
Sep 2012 –
CTBUH 2012 9th World Congress, Shanghai; Stefan Krummeck, TFP Farrells Limited
Recently, Asia has witnessed an astonishing proliferation of high-rise buildings. Towers are growing in numbers and in height which presents enormous opportunities and…
Browse hundreds of other papers published by CTBUH members on a range of multi-disciplinary subjects in the Research Papers Library
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