“Let the building breath.” Time Tower, office, retail. Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China by Studio Christine Jetten

PROJECT INFORMATION

Time Tower, striking a balance between functionality and tranquillity.

Both and tower and podium are clad in terra cotta, following a low embodied carbon strategy. A custom designed glaze compliments the neighbouring tower’s pink granite and emits an iridescent finish in changing light.

‍

Design process

Regarding the visual quality: a lot was up for play, especially how the glaze works with the light conditions. I always aim to find the magic in the glaze and develop unique visual qualities that can’t be mimicked by any other material.

‍

We believe an ambitious concept is only successful when richly composed and well-executed. Focused on the art and science of architecture a high level of detail is pursued to elevate the building in terms of both beauty and practicality.

Kohn Pedersen Fox associates

In my view, beauty and quality have to do with sustainability. It was a pleasure to design the desired surface quality in multiple steps.

Despite the large extruded panels the terracotta surface has a handcrafted quality with subtle imperfections and multiple variations, much in tune with the architects approach to quality. The material is taken to great heights. The passerby gets the chance to experience the materiality close up and reveal its depth, thus bringing sensual experiences into the public realm. The result lets the building breathe.