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Beijing Yintai Centre for Fine Living2006/04/14
The Beijing Yintai Centre is located on a very prominent site in the heart of Beijing's Central Business District near the intersection of Jianguomenwai Dajie and the East Third Ring road.
Designed to enhance Beijing ever-changing skyline, Beijing Yintai Centre is a comprehensive mixed-use complex that rises from a water garden park at its base. When completed, Beijing Yintai Centre will be the highest building on
Beijing Yintai's three towers are square in form and are studies in simple, straightforward design. The residential tower is the focal point of the project with twin, flanking office towers. The residential tower features an exceptional five-star Park Hyatt hotel with elegant guestrooms, luxury apartments and serviced apartments.
The residential tower is majestically crowned by a large cube that recalls a Chinese lantern. Express elevators sweep guests to the top of the building to this "lantern" where the hotel's registration area is located. Other of the hotel's public functions, such as a bar, lounge and specialty restaurant are also located within in the lantern, providing spectacular views of Beijing. By day, the cube acts as a stately symbol of Chinese architecture and culture; by night, it shines brilliantly as a beacon marking the site.
The podium base of the project includes functions such as an upscale retail food outlet, specialty retail stores and several restaurants, meeting rooms, a grand and junior ballroom, a fitness centre and an enclosed pool. These are connected to expansive retail areas in the first basement by escalators and elevators.
On top of the podium, connected to the meeting room functions by bridges, is a beautifully landscaped roof garden that ties the three towers together. The inclusion of nature in the project's design gives people a tranquil sense within the city. Rather than attempting to copy a traditional Chinese garden in a modern, formal and rather symmetrical space, elements of historic Chinese gardens are incorporated in a symbolic way. Cool greenery and the sound of water create a welcome antithesis to the urban world's noise and congestion. They also serve to highlight the forms of the architecture, a man-made entity, in their juxtaposition with attributes of nature. The lush roof garden with its stone-paved terrace and pavilion serves as a sanctuary for tenants and as a splendid venue in which to host special events and functions catered by the hotel.
The site is abundantly landscaped and the extensive use of water features is unique to the site, separating it from the congestion of the surrounding roadways. Motor access to the site is via a large monumental space under the podium that is planned to give each tower its own sense of grand entry. Supported by majestic circular columns, this covered courtyard is graced with natural light. The lifestyle of people working and living in Beijing is enhanced by the complex's human-scale gardens and water features, and its architectural details that suggest ancient Chinese architecture in a contemporary way.
At Beijing Yintai Centre, timeless materials are specifically used to create and reinforce spaces in harmony with the urban surroundings. In an area where traffic is busy, the symmetrical plan of Beijing Yintai Centre brings a sense of order that guides pedestrians and drivers alike. In a business district where life is hectic, the garden and pools of the project bring a feeling of calmness and peace. In the capital city of a great nation with rich architectural heritage, the elegant design and simple forms bring a sense of dignity, stateliness and grandeur representative of the pride of Beijing's new era.
Architectural Design It is appropriate to state that architect John Portman's design philosophy will be found omnipresent in the Beijing Yintai Centre's design.
"Architecture is foremost a humanistic concern that is then given form by distinct cultural and contextual influences," said Portman, chairman of John Portman & Associates, Incorporation. “Architecture is first about people and programme. Since early in my career I have been a keen observer of people and how they respond to their built environment. Although successful buildings must be functional, to make the architecture memorable the architect must discover the common denominators that evoke a positive response. The formation of space, large and small, is a powerful tool. Another is nature; it is one of the most effective means to weave elements of sensory appeal into the design. Thus, landscaping and water are often an integral part of the architecture, inside and out.
"Secondly, architecture, as a public art, becomes part of the culture and context. It must recognize the time, place and circumstances in order to respond to the unique physical and cultural character that is the essence of each place. Each culture generates its own distinct architectural forms. These forms reflect patterns of living, seeing and feeling. Therefore, it becomes essential that we include an imaginative approach to indigenous form in new architecture, thus building a continuum with the past. Yet, as building methods, materials, and techniques have changed, formal archetypes should not be used literally. Rather, they should be abstracted from the spirit of the culture and recognize the time frame of their own creation."
Rapid real estate development and new construction in the city of Beijing has brought about a considerable variety of architectural design character in Beijing's skyline. Various building shapes and forms around the neighbouring sites, with their elaborate roof shapes and assortment of building materials and colours compete against one another for attention and recognition. It was important that the Beijing Yintai Centre design be different. The strategic solutions to achieve a unique design that would reveal the presence of Beijing Yintai Centre and distinguish it from neighbouring projects are the symmetry of planning, good environmental layout, elegance of design, and simplicity of form.
The 249.9-metre high hotel/service apartment/luxury residential tower is designed to be the focal point for Beijing Yintai Centre. This 63-level, 118,519 square metres building will hold a 237-room Park Hyatt Hotel, 44 luxury apartments and 216 service apartments. Flanking this main tower are two 186-metre-high office towers. These two 73,500-square-metre towers will house 44 levels of office space (one office tower has 71,926 square metres of space, the other 71,980 square metres).
The hotel public areas, lobby, restaurant and bar/lounge are located at the top levels of the main tower within Beijing Yintai's iconic glass lantern. Public support facilities such as meeting rooms, health spas and hotel offices are in the levels just below the public areas. On the lower five floors of the residential tower and the four floors of the podium base are several public and private facilities, such as ballrooms, meeting rooms, restaurants and health club. This elevated podium contains two ballrooms and, with its beautifully landscaped roof garden, ties the three towers together.
For the development of the Beijing Yintai Centre, China Yintai has assembled a team of 28 leading international and local corporations. The core team members include John Portman & Associates, Peter Remedios, Tony Chi, Super Potato, Bovis Lend Lease, Davis Langdon & Seah and the Beijing Urban Construction Group. The project has provided a rare opportunity for each of them to jointly contribute their expertise in design and construction. This dedication to the highest quality and talent signifies the Beijing Yintai Centre's support for Beijing's urban development initiatives. The concept will attract those discerning companies and individuals who appreciate a more sophisticated approach to doing business and living in the capital of China. |
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