Eco Factor: Sustainable architecture aims to lower energy use.
Goettsch Partners has won the competition to design the Soochow Securities Headquarters with a triangular skyscraper that incorporates ingenious features to lower the buildings overall energy requirements. The 21-story building is to provide 344,400 sq ft of office space, 86,100 sq ft area for a stock exchange, meeting rooms, classroom, cafeteria and ample underground space to park 400 cars and 800 bikes.
The triangular form, which in China is symbolic with balance and stability, also allows the building to shade itself, which lowers the amount of energy required to cool the interiors. The signature feature of the entire design is the atrium, which runs the entire height of the building and also allows each level to be illuminated by natural light.
In addition to features that promise energy savings, the building will also feature vegetated mini-atriums, native plantings and building heat recovery systems. The building’s exposure is designed to minimize the overall energy consumption by creating a self-shading massing that minimizes the east and west exposure. A shingled tower façade is also employed to provide passive shading during the warmer summer months.
