Within the Lize Financial Business District – a new business, residential and transport hub adjacent to Financial Road in southwest Beijing – Leeza Soho is located at the intersection of Lines 14 and 16 currently under-construction for the Beijing Subway rail network. Directly above the new interchange station, Leeza Soho connects with the city’s bus network on Lize Road to the north and Lou Tuo Wan East Road to the east.
© Render by MIR
Anchoring the financial district, the 172,800m² Leeza Soho design has evolved from its specific site conditions. Straddling the new subway tunnel that diagonally divides the site, the tower rises as a single volume divided into two halves on either side of the tunnel. A central atrium – the world’s tallest – extends 190m through full height of the building, connecting the two halves together.
© Render by MIR
As the tower rises, the diagonal axis through the site defined by the subway tunnel is re-aligned by ‘twisting’ the atrium through 45 degrees to orientate the atrium’s higher floors with the historic north-south / eastwest axes on which the city was founded. Connecting with the interchange station below, this 190m atrium will be a new public space for the city.
© Render by MIR
An outdoor, public piazza surrounds the tower, echoing its circular form at the centre of the new financial district and welcoming visitors inside. The atrium’s ‘twist’ allows natural light and views of the city from the centre of all floors of Leeza Soho. Sky bridges on structural rings at each refuge/MEP level and a doubleinsulated glass façade unite the two halves of the tower together within a single cohesive envelope.
Construction Gallery
The double-insulated, unitised glass curtainwall system steps the glazing units on each floor at an angle, allowing ventilating registers to draw outside air through an operable cavity when required; creating extremely efficient environmental control for each floor.
The tower provides self-shading for the atrium’s public space below while doubleinsulated low-e glazing (U=2.0W/m²K; SC=0.4) and envelope insulation (U=0.55 W/m²K) maintain a comfortable indoor environment in Beijing’s extreme weather conditions.
Structural Performance Model Test
At the forefront of 3D Building Information Modelling (BIM) in design, construction management and building operations, Zaha Hadid Architects and Soho China have implemented proven technologies to significantly reduce the energy consumption and emissions of their previous project collaborations.
Targeting LEED Gold certification, an advanced 3D BIM energy management system will monitor real-time environmental control and energy efficiency within Leeza Soho, integrating heat-recovery from exhaust air, high-efficiency pumps and fans, chillers and boilers, lighting and controls, in addition to water-collection, low-flow rate fixtures, grey water flushing and landscape irrigation.
© Zaha Hadid Architects
Low VOC materials will be installed throughout Leeza Soho to minimise interior pollutants, and when required, high-efficiency filters will remove PM2.5 particles via the air-handling system. 2,680 bicycle parking spaces with lockers and shower facilities are provided. Dedicated charging spaces for electric/hybrid cars are located below ground.
Construction of Leeza Soho will reach its full 207m height in September this year, with the tower’s completion planned for late 2018. Leeza Soho is the most recent of four project collaborations between Zaha Hadid Architects and Soho China that total 15 million square feet (1.4 million m²) of awardwinning office and retail space.
© Zaha Hadid Architects
China attracts the best talent from around the world. It’s important to work with architects who understand what the next generation requires; connecting communities and traditions with innovative new technologies to embrace the future
Project Details
Architect: Zaha Hadid Architects
Design: Zaha Hadid and Patrik Schumacher
Project Director: Satoshi Ohashi
Project Associate: Kaloyan Erevinov Ed Gaskin Armando Solano
Project Architect: Philipp Ostermaier
Project Team: Yang Jingwen, Di Ding, Xuexin Duan, Samson Lee, Shu Hashimoto, Christoph Klemmt, Juan Liu, Dennis Brezina, Rita Lee, Seungho Yeo
Structure: Bollinger + Grohmann (Competition) CABR (SD) BIAD (DD) (CD)
Facade: KWP (SD) Kighton
Façade: Yuanda (DD) (CD) MEP Parsons Brinkerhoff (SD) BIAD (DD) (CD)
Lighting: Light Design (SD) (DD) Leuchte (CD)
Landscape: ZHA (SD) (DD) Ecoland (DD) (CD)
Interiors: ZHA (SD) (DD) Huateng (CD)
Executive Architect: BIAD
General Contractor: China State Construction Engineering Corporation #3
Facade Contractor: Lingyun Yuanda
Project: Leeza SOHO
Location: Beijing, China
Date: 2015/2018
Client: SOHO China Ltd.
Status: Under Construction
Site Area: 30,688m²
Above Ground: 124,000 m2
Towers & Pavilions: Tower – 123,740 m2 Pavilions – 220 m2
Below Ground: 48,800 m2
Height: 207 m
Top of occupied floor: 190.5 m (45 floors)
Floors Above Ground: 46 levels – Lobby 3,900 m2, Offices 110,474 m2, MEP floors 9,406 m2
Gross Floor Area: 172,800m²
Retail: 10,000 m2
Vehicle Parking: 480 Bicycle
Parking: 2,680
Project Details and Images provided by Zaha Hadid Architects
