Shimao Qianhai Center

The 300-metre Shimao Qianhai Center is the tallest twisted building in China. The tower’s twisted mass is created by the combination of having four double-curved façades and turning the floor slabs by 45 degrees from the ground floor to the rooftop.

INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR THE TWISTED STRUCTURE
The torsional effects generated by the twisted form is the primary challenge for the structural design. A twisted frame-core wall is adopted for the structural system, following comprehensive studies and analyses. The structures of the perimeter moment frame and core simultaneously take on the vertical load, withstanding strong winds and seismic activities.

The core structural material is made up of high-performance concrete with steel columns embedded in the lower level. This combination helps increase both axial bearing compacity and ductility under seismic effects. At the same time, the perimeter frame has 16 concrete-filled tube columns connected by a steel beam. To give more space to each floor, the columns were inclined in two directions relative to the edge beam. As a result of using these inclined columns, the building does not employ any usual outriggers or belt trusses, resulting in lower average steel consumption, compared with similar projects.

This is an excerpt. The original article is published in Construction+ Q1 2022 Issue: Upskilling The Workforce.
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PROJECT DATA
Project Name
Shimao Qianhai Center
Location
Shenzhen
Completion Date
October 2019
Gross Floor Area
150,000 square metres
Building Height
300 metres (54 storeys above ground)
Client/Owner/Developer
Shimao Group
Architecture Firms
Design: Gensler;
Architect of record: Zhubo Design Group
Civil & Structural Engineers
Design: Arup;
Engineer of record: Zhubo Design Group
Main Contractor
China Construction Third Engineering Bureau Group Co. Ltd.
Images
Zhangchao