Location: Kunming, China    

Client: OCT Group

Time: 2019

Gross Floor Area: 134,248 sq m

Type: Office, Hotel, Retail, Apartment

Architect: EID Architecture

Design Principal: Ping Jiang, FAIA

Design Team: Michael Morgan, Shengyun Lu, Jialu Bao, Yunpeng Ma, Yang Wang, Chendi He, Xinrong Chen, Jin Meng, Ze Wang, Xiaohui Zhong, Xiabing Wu, Di Fan, Si Si, Peggy Tang, Feng Zhao, Yun Gong, Buwei Jin

Consultants：

Structure Engineer: Ove Arup

EID Architecture has released the details of its design for OCT’s Second Headquarters competition. Among the shortlisted 6 international firms, EID Arch’s design proposal for OCT’s second headquarters has been selected as one of three winning schemes. Led by Design Principal Ping Jiang, AIA, the design for OCT’s Second Headquarters aims to create a new headquarters that responds to the cultural and natural characteristics of the city, while reflecting the ethos of OCT’s commitment to innovation in technology, art and cultural tourism. Located in Kunming, a major city in southwest region of China, this project consists of HQ2 for OCT, a 200 key boutique hotel, exhibition hall, a multi-functional theater, service apartment and retail amenity. Centered around the principles of openness and flexibility, the program distribution is organized both horizontally and vertically. While OCT HQ2 is placed at top portion of the main tower, conceived as a headquarter in the sky, the main tower also houses hotel and service apartment at lower portion of the shaft and adjacent west tower. The development also includes two parks located at adjacent parcels, through the linked footbridge, it fosters a permeable, pedestrian friendly interface along the streets, connecting the 3 parcels as a multilayered, interactive civic environment.

Inspired by natural landscape, topography and organic forms of the urban context, OCT’s Second Headquarters includes a 200-meter-tall main tower, an apartment building, and these two towers are interconnected by a series of fluid platforms of shops, restaurants and exhibition spaces at the base. These cascading podium terraces are reminiscent of local rice paddies, providing shades and landscaped area for outdoor leisure activities.

The HQ2 tower features a fluid massing, with 3 ribbon-like outdoor terraces carved out of its shaft. Theses undulating outdoor spaces serve as spatial continuum of sky lobby for the HQ2, creating a platform for interaction and leisure activities. These terraces offer panoramic views of Kunming, and enable an immersion experience with the urban landscape. Taking advantage of the mild condition of subtropical climate, these landscaped outdoor terraces provide an environment of communication and collaboration. The HQ2 tower’s interiors are designed to maximize daylight and open space, with a mega-column structure system to optimize the seismic performance. Multiple atriums are interweaved into the HQ2, linking clusters of lounge spaces, work groups and meeting rooms. These open and flexible configurations encourage interaction and exchange between disciplines to promote a culture of collaboration. The curvilinear form of the massing projects a distinctive presence for the new development, as well as achieves a high performance in building planning and energy efficiency.

A futuristic and sculptural multi-function theater is located on the west portion of the site, serving as a new venue for performing arts events. Along with the animated streetscape and community greens, the entire project will form a variety of spaces that encourage people to engage in the public realm. The design for OCT’s Second Headquarters will stimulate future district growth, creating a distinctive and dynamic urban destination.