EID Design Fluid Sculptural Tower for Kunming, China

EID Architecture has revealed their design for OCT’s Second Headquarters in Kunming, China. One of three winning schemes selected from a shortlist of six international firms, the EID proposal aims to create a 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 China, the scheme consists of a headquarters for OCT, a 200-room hotel, exhibition hall, multi-functional theater, service apartment, and retail program. The project is founded on principles of openness and flexibility, with the varied program distributed vertically and horizontally. The OCT headquarters will occupy the top portion of the main tower, described as a “headquarters in the sky,” while the lower portion will host the hotel and apartments.

The 200-meter-tall tower is flanked by an apartment tower, connected by a series of fluid platforms of shops, restaurants, and exhibition spaces at the base. The cascading podium terraces are reminiscent of local rice paddies, offering shades and landscaped areas for public enjoyment. The development also includes two parks, fostering a permeable, pedestrian-friendly interface along the streets.

The towers are defined by a fluid massing, with three ribbon-like outdoor terraces carved out of its shaft. These undulating spaces serve as a spatial continuum of the tower’s sky, while also offering panoramic views of the city. Exploiting the subtropical climate, the outdoor terraces offer an environment of communication and collaboration, while the interiors are designed to maximize daylight and open space with a mega-column structure system.

The interior features multiple interweaved atriums linking clusters of lounge spaces, work groups, and meeting rooms. These open, flexible configurations encourage interaction and exchange between disciplines to promote a culture of collaboration. A futuristic, sculptural multi-functional theater is located on the west portion of the site, serving as a new venue for the performing arts.

Combined with the animated streetscape and community greens, the entire project forms a variety of spaces that encourage people to engage with the public realm, stimulating future growth, and creating a distinctive, dynamic urban anchor.

Location: Kunming, China

Client: OCT Group

Design Date: 2019

Built Area: 134,248 sqm

Type: Office, Retail, Hotel, Apartment

Architect: EID Architecture

Design Principal: Ping Jiang, AIA

Design Team: Morgan Michael, Shengyun Lu, Jialu Bao, Michael Morgan, 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

Structural Engineer: Arup

SEE MORE EID