New guidelines on urban planning will forbid the construction of “bizarre” and “odd-shaped” buildings that are devoid of character or cultural heritage. On the Block is a monthy series where we gather opinions on some of the unusual architecture that remains, from both an architectural and civilian viewpoint.

World Financial Centre, Guomao

The Building

Found in the CBD, adjacent to the east Third Ring Road, the Beijing World Financial Centre (WFC) was designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects and completed in 2009. The structure houses office and retail space, comprising a pair of 22-story towers connected by a glass atrium. A metaphorical ‘jewel’ in the Guomao tower-scape (the towers were conceived as two ‘jewelry boxes’), WFC was designed as the first environmentally sustainable Grade A office building in Beijing, due in part to its insulated wall frame and gray-water (sink and tub water) recycling systems.

The Residents’ View

Tina, a barista in one of WFC’s cafes, says: “It’s OK but lacks personality, especially compared to CCTV and the SOHO buildings, for example.”  According to a couple of workers handing out duck-shaped soap across the road at Fortune Financial Center: “[WFC] is very nice [but] it is similar to other buildings and isn’t particularly unique.”

The Architect’s View

Design director at Office AIO, Tim Kwan, muses: “The ‘jewel’ idea may be an overused concept but it was perhaps less common back then. It is still liked by many Chinese owners today. 

“The highly reflective monolithic facade features large, simple triangulation to mimic facets on a jewel. The translation of such a ‘poetic’ idea might be too literal for designers or critics, but it hasn’t been overdone, allowing the building to remain Grade A efficient, and is aesthetically functional by breaking down the otherwise heavy structural mass.”

Regarding the building’s relevance, Kwan notes: “WFC may have been considered a tall building when it was first completed but, although new and taller towers have dwarfed WFC over time, it remains an elegant and effective piece of architecture. In clear days, at the right time, it dissolves into its environment, thanks to its mirror-like facade.” 

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