The architects von Gerkan, Marg and Partners (gmp) have won the international competition for the new construction of an IT industrial operation center with adjacent high-rise office block in Guangzhou for China Unicom, one of the leading Chinese telecommunications companies, and have been commissioned to carry out the design.

In the center of the new Tianhe District business quarter near the city university and administration, two high-rise buildings, which are linked by a five-story plinth, will be constructed to the design of the architects. The landscape reference focuses on an existing wooded hill around which all the buildings are grouped, and which is linked to the urban area via an arcade which is open to the main road. In line with Chinese landscape tradition, the hills are located to the north and terraced water features to the south – thus defining the separation from the public space.

The buildings have been placed such that they do not overshadow the existing residential buildings to the north-west. The western tower, which houses the IT operation center and the administration, has therefore been limited to a height of 94 m, while the tower to the east rises to the maximum permitted height of 119 m. This latter building houses flexible office areas, as well as conference facilities and a canteen. In addition to the office space, a China Unicom flagship store and other commercial facilities, such as a post office, bank and supermarket, are placed to the south-east. The total gross floor area of the complex is approx. 160,000 sqm.