Trapezoidal glass panels create prismatic facades for SOM's Beijing skyscraper
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill has completed a 55-storey tower in Beijing with exterior glass panels that function as prisms, capturing and refracting daylight (+ slideshow).
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The mixed-use tower, called the Beijing Greenland Center, is located in the Dawangjing business district and sits halfway between the city's historic core and international airport.
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Rectangular in plan, the skyscraper contains four floors of office space and 178 serviced apartments, all organised around a central core.
![Beijing Greenland Centre by skidmore Owings and Merill is a 55 storey tower with prism-like glass cladding](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/06/beijing-greenland-center-som-skidmore-owings-merrill-skyscraper-china-glass-prism-facade-cladding-trapezoidal-completion_dezeen_936_2.jpg)
Rising 260 metres, the tower is sheathed in a curtain wall consisting of low-E glass panels that are configured in a way that provides shade and redirects sunlight.
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"The tower's striking facade pattern is informed by the bas relief carving technique," said SOM, a global firm founded in 1936. "Isosceles trapezoidal modules function as prisms, catching daylight and refracting it to create an interplay of light and shadow."
![Beijing Greenland Centre by skidmore Owings and Merill is a 55 storey tower with prism-like glass cladding](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/06/beijing-greenland-center-som-skidmore-owings-merrill-skyscraper-china-glass-prism-facade-cladding-trapezoidal-completion_dezeen_936_3.jpg)
Two different trapezoidal modules were used, with one tapering upward and the other tapering downward. The modules alternate in a regular pattern on all sides of the building.
The tower is designed to consume 30 per cent less energy and water compared to a baseline building. In addition to the shade-providing skin, the skyscraper's sustainable elements include a heat reclaim wheel, variable speed pumps for heating and cooling, and a water-side economiser to utilise evaporative cooling.
![Beijing Greenland Centre by skidmore Owings and Merill is a 55 storey tower with prism-like glass cladding](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/06/beijing-greenland-center-som-skidmore-owings-merrill-skyscraper-china-glass-prism-facade-cladding-trapezoidal-completion_dezeen_936_1.jpg)
"Addressing a need for environmentally responsible, mixed-use urban development, Beijing Greenland Center is a highly visible example of how visually striking design can also be highly flexible and sustainable," the firm said.
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Beijing Dawangjing is a new district on the city's northeast side that was masterplanned by SOM. It was conceived as a "walkable, green district that prioritises quality of life and responsible use of natural resources".
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SOM has designed other structures in the neighbourhood, such as a trio of curved buildings called Poly International Plaza that is slated to be completed this year.
Other recent projects in Beijing include a housing complex with sculptural stone walls by UNStudio and a shopping centre with a pearlescent facade by Dutch firm MVRDV.
![Beijing Greenland Centre by skidmore Owings and Merill is a 55 storey tower with prism-like glass cladding](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/06/beijing-greenland-center-som-skidmore-owings-merrill-skyscraper-china-glass-prism-facade-cladding-trapezoidal-completion_dezeen_1.jpg)
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![Beijing Greenland Centre by skidmore Owings and Merill is a 55 storey tower with prism-like glass cladding](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2016/06/beijing-greenland-center-som-skidmore-owings-merrill-skyscraper-china-glass-prism-facade-cladding-trapezoidal-completion_dezeen_3.gif)