China Telecommunication Command Building

Location: Beijing, China
Time: 2003
Project leaders: Yang Yihua
Staff (design): Xie Yue
Partner Practice: Chen Yifeng Studio
Client: China Telecom
Area: 93,900 m²

As a global information interaction hub and national scope information interaction an management center, the project gives attention to both  the mechanical and administrating functions and provides opportunity for later requirement of telecom development. It features a three-story podium and two office towers which cooperate with a neighboring tower anchoring a 15,000 square meter public lawn opening west to the 2nd Ring Road. Each tower has a 7.1-meter-high lobby, while the 2nd to 9th floors of China Telecom Building and the 2nd to 5th floors of Beijing Telecom Building are telecom mechanical rooms, and the upper levels are all offices. To emphasize the apparent height, the massing strategy merges two vertical volumes –a solid rectangular block and a translucent curved volume-to be an office tower with similar exterior components. The towers are clad in light blue Low-E glass curtain walls supported by dark grey aluminum framework, and the facades of podium are covered by metal panels and glass. A transparent glass curtain wall framed by white metal truss creates a prominent main entrance for each tower respectively.