How can a plant in bloom transform a city skyline?

Bench Tower combines five programs—a 1,500-person event space, retail hall, parking garage, Grade-A offices, and corporate headquarters for the Bench Group—into an efficient tower with an iconic presence. Separate cores create different circulation loops for each of the programs, preventing bottlenecks. The building’s skin is made of soft-shaped metal latticework that is modulated to create different levels of transparency across the tower, opening up views for the offices, maximizing natural ventilation in the parking zones, and reducing solar gain.

OPTIMIZING THE BUILDING SKIN

The density of the skin’s louvers and canopies are calibrated to the different conditions at the base and top of the tower. On the lower floors, more louvers and fewer canopies increase natural ventilation and frontal views. On higher floors— where there is greater wind exposure—fewer louvers and more canopies maximize parallax views while reducing solar gain.

EVENT SPACE

A 1,500-person event space below grade can host performances and social gatherings, maximizing the value of the new building.

RETAIL HALL

The ground-floor retail area opens the building to the surrounding city, integrating it into the neighborhood and creating an active base.

CORPORATE LOBBY

A dedicated lobby and separate core for the office programs make for efficient circulation loops despite the building’s mix of uses.

VERTICAL CANYON

A winding staircase cuts through the headquarters office space, enhancing connectivity and visual interconnection between its levels.

• SITE: 40,810.29 SQF
• PROJECT TEAM: Carlos Arnaiz, Xiao Tan, Alden Ching, Siying Han, Yuqi Wang, Wenhao Xu, Sanxing Zhao, Marie Isabelle Ngoga
• BUILDING FOOTPRINT: 28,210 SQF
• CONSULTANTS: ARUP, NSI