Shanghai World Financial Ctr.(KPF)

A 100 storey, 270,000 sqm mixed-use high rise tower in Pudong, Shanghai, symbolizes the burgeoning China's global presence. The geometry derives from a simple manipulation of arcs and squares, based on the Chinese belief that the circle represents heaven, and the square connotes the ground. It gives a logical tower form, accommodating a 4-star hotel on upper levels with thin floor plates, while the high quality office spaces occupy lower levels where the depth of the floor gives higher rentable ratio. Double-decker elevators reduce the core size with transfer floors in mid-height. At the top sits an iconic void housing the world's tallest public observation decks. [project management for international architects for a Japanese client overseas]