As one of China’s major manufacturing centres, Suzhou Industrial Park requires a range of financial and banking support services and the 20 storey building provides over 30,000 m2 of space for these activities. The building presents a distinctive and identifiable form within the precinct. Two slender planes of polished granite appear to support a glazed tower over a podium and frame the principal entry. The regular grid of recessed 1m x 1m windows, many of which open for ventilation, belies the building’s height which is limited to 100m by the planning controls.Traditional Chinese architecture uses screens to frame views, filter sunlight and importantly, provide a sense of privacy whilst maintaining a strong connection to the outside.
The granite screens of the China Merchant Bank achieve the same effect at both a precinct and human scale, with a sense of permanence and privacy that is so critical for a bank building.
As a major centre of manufacturing industries for both export and domestic markets, Suzhou Industrial Park requires a diverse range of support services, including financial and banking services for businesses and individuals.
The 20 storey Merchant Bank building, provides more than 30,000 m2 of space for banking and financial services.
Two slender planes of polished granite appear to support a glazed tower over a horizontal podium. The regular grid of recessed 1m x 1m windows, including operable windows, creates an ambiguous sense of scale as a large stone screen.
Screens are used in traditional Chinese architecture to frame views, filter sunlight, and provide a sense of privacy whilst maintaining a strong connection to the outside.
A podium a roof garden enjoys panoramic views along the adjacent canal.
The tower’s western façade is formed by a clear low-e glazed dual wall system incorporating interconnecting stairs and an informal wintergarden meeting space.
We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging – as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work; and the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation on whose land our Studio is located.