One Central Park may have the highest apartment in the world, but it’s still smaller than the number 4 tallest building that opened in 2010, the 440 meter Guangzhou International Finance Centre in the Tianhe District of Guangzhou, China.
Designed by Wilkinson Eyre, the 103-story building offers 247,000 square meters for office space, conference center, a luxury hotel and a panoramic observation deck with views of the city. Floors 1 through 66 of the buildings are dedicated to office space, while floors 69-98 will house the Four Seasons Hotel. The top two floors with house the observation deck, where people can become inspired by the breathtaking views.
Work on the building began in early 2006. The building was designed to link the commercial district in the north to the Pearl River in the south and features efficient interior space layouts and state-of-the-art environmental performance. The project takes advantage of two of Wilkinson Eyre’s strengths—advanced geometry and exploring boundaries.
According to the firm’s website, “We are particularly interested in an informed use of geometry to give dynamism to the design as well as a rational construction methodology.” Concerning exploring boundaries, “Contemporary technology enables us to look at possibilities from other creative and scientific territories to give breadth to our work.”
The base of the structure connects with a podium complex that houses a retail mall, conference center and high end apartments. The structure towers above those around it.
Name: Guangzhou International Finance Centre: Guangzhou, China
Height: 440m (1435ft)
Developer: Guangzhou Construction Committee
Architect: Wilkinson Eyre
