Skidmore, Owings & Merrill unveil their design for the Shenzhen tower

AVIC plaza stretches along a major artery of Shenzhen, bridging the old downtown and modern city center. In the center sits a retail podium, which is sited diagonally to encourage north-south movement across the plaza. Flanking the podium are two triangular plots: on the northeast plot sits a high-profile office tower, while on the southwest are more secluded apartment towers. The apartment towers connect at every third floor with two-storey public gardens and at the podium roof. Atop the retail podium is the signature tower, which will be an important landmark for the city, its twin vertical blades registering a dynamic profile on the skyline. The tower's verticality is enhanced by mullions, which are further accentuated by fritted glass extensions. These luminescent extensions provide shade the interior from direct sunlight while preserving views from the building of the rapidly growing city.