An eye-catching design solution for the office buildings named Twin Magnets in Xian, China shaped while having in mind the importance of commercial developments. Chinese CBD project comes from the practice of 3GATTI Architects.
From the Architects:
This is a typical Chinese CBD project where the architect is forced to follow the strict local “rules” for commercial developments: several office towers covered in curtain wall glass on top of a commercial podium.
With those fixed premises we tried to give expression and identities to these two elements that you can see everywhere in the no-ending Chinese urban landscape. The metaphoric expression is very simple: two fat heavy and defined twin objects compressing a slim podium-slab.
The identity of the towers is defined by the round shape edges giving the feeling not being “connected” to the podium and by the glass 3D texture that gives strong personality to the curtain wall façade, acting like a urban dress instead than a urban building elevation. In contrast with the transparent towers skin the podium is a slim opaque objects that inflects under the pressure of the heavy towers creating an arched main entrance. The podium will contain the commercial malls and parking. The restaurants and cafes will be located in the lower part of the towers where are connected to each other with a transparent sub-podium that lays on top of the main podium.
Project: Twin Magnets
Designed by 3GATTI Architects
Chief Architect: Francesco Gatti
Project Architect: Bogdan Chipara
Local Design Institute: CCDI Group
Client: China West Airport Group, Xian Local Government
Location: Xian, Shaanxi, China
Website: 3gatti.com
