The Dongguan International Trade Center 1 presents a special concept that merges advanced building practices with modern technology and natural forms. This mixed-use development in the heart of Downtown Dongguan is situated to create a direct line of sight to the nearby Huanggi Mountain. It will be the tallest in a complex of five separate buildings, which will rise above a six-level retail complex of stores and restaurants. Though the project’s five towers feature distinctive shapes and designs, they are tied together by common thematic elements, such as their materials of reflective glass and metal paneling.

The Dongguan International Trade Center 1’s design is inspired by Dongguan’s natural surroundings in the Pearl River Delta, and incorporates floral geometry and organic forms. Its beveled silhouette is intended to bring to mind the bud of the Yulan magnolia, the official city flower. The tower is crowned by a lantern commemorating the legendary spot where fireflies once gathered around a banyan tree to guide fishermen home from the sea. Fittingly, careful attention has been paid to the landscaping. Fountains, waterfalls, and lush plantings will soften stone walls, terraces, and plazas around the tower. Glass skylights open up allowing natural light to brighten lower-level shops, and glass bridges offer unobstructed views of everything below.

The façade of the building includes a mixed curtain wall system on each elevation and an atypical cladding solution near the crown. Here, a metal louver screen wall diffuses the glow of a large lantern on the rooftop. The façade system will also contribute to the efficiency of the building, which is aiming for LEED certification, along with the other four buildings in the complex.

Other amenities in the building will include an ice skating rink, an amphitheater, a rooftop park, and an exhibition space highlighting Dongguan’s commercial past.