CRYSTAL Office Building / SAKO Architects

CRYSTAL Office Building / SAKO Architects - Exterior Photography, Facade, CityscapeCRYSTAL Office Building / SAKO Architects - Exterior Photography, Windows, Brick, FacadeCRYSTAL Office Building / SAKO Architects - Interior Photography, Stairs, FacadeCRYSTAL Office Building / SAKO Architects - Exterior Photography, Lighting, CityscapeCRYSTAL Office Building / SAKO Architects - More Images+ 8

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CRYSTAL Office Building / SAKO Architects - Exterior Photography, Facade, Cityscape
© Yu Mingsong, Yao Zhenjia

Text description provided by the architects. The 29-story office building with a maximum height of 126 m is located in the development zone around the new high-speed railroad station. 500% floor area ratio and economic rationality have led to the adoption of twin towers with the same conditions in the surrounding areas. The 54.4 m square plan is the square root of 3,000 m2, which is a critical measure for area zoning.

CRYSTAL Office Building / SAKO Architects - Exterior Photography, Windows, Brick, Facade
© Yu Mingsong, Yao Zhenjia
CRYSTAL Office Building / SAKO Architects - Image 13 of 13
Section

This large square plane encompasses a 27m square atrium, which is vertically stacked from ground level with two five six, five, six, and two tiers of atriums. The first two-level atrium is the entrance hall and retail atrium. The atrium above it is the common office space, with elevator banks located at the four corners of the atrium providing individual access to each. The office space surrounding the atrium is planned in such a way that a single company may occupy it exclusively, or many companies may share it.

CRYSTAL Office Building / SAKO Architects - Exterior Photography, Windows, Facade
© Yu Mingsong, Yao Zhenjia

An atrium located in the center of a building can feel claustrophobic due to the lack of natural light. In order to create an open atrium, we designed a "crack" in the exterior wall through which direct light shines into the atrium. In order to allow the reflected light to reach as far as possible into the atrium, the atrium is a minimalist white space.

CRYSTAL Office Building / SAKO Architects - Interior Photography, Windows
© Yu Mingsong, Yao Zhenjia

The mullions were designed to be as inconspicuous as possible for the curtain walls on the north, south, east, and west elevations. The building area is 3000m2, and the building height is 126m. In other words, this lump of glass has a volume of 380,000 cubic meters. The ``cracks'' on each side, north, south, east, and west, make this mass look like a glass crystal. The ``crack'' brings daylight into the atrium and, at the same time, is used as a private terrace for the offices facing it, as well as a common terrace connected to the atrium.

CRYSTAL Office Building / SAKO Architects - Exterior Photography, Windows, Facade, Cityscape
© Yu Mingsong, Yao Zhenjia

At night, it transforms into an illusionary figure. The horizontal bands of light that reveal the stacked atrium and the vertical light that reveal the "cracks" gradually change to blue and purple, creating a futuristic impression like a science fiction world. Locals call this undulating "cracks" "like a rising dragon.

CRYSTAL Office Building / SAKO Architects - Exterior Photography, Facade, Cityscape
© Yu Mingsong, Yao Zhenjia

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Project location

Address:Jinan, Shandong, China

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Location to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.
About this office
Cite: "CRYSTAL Office Building / SAKO Architects" 28 Dec 2023. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1011588/crystal-office-building-sako-architects> ISSN 0719-8884

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