CHINA> Center
Cityscape recommendations for Beijing
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-07-10 23:14

China Central Television headquarter building

Tired of regular-shaped skyscrapers? The breathtaking artistic architecture of the new China Central Television headquarter will leave you with no regrets. Currently under construction, the building stands in the center of the central business district in Beijing's Chaoyang District.


China Central Television headquarter building
The impressive structure broke ground in 2004 and is scheduled to be complete before the Olympics. It stands 234 meters high with 51 floors.

Dutchman Rem Koolhaas and German Ole Scheeren provided the unusual design for the architecture. The main building is not a traditional tower, but instead a continuous loop of five horizontal and vertical sections covering 381,300 square meters of floor space, creating an irregular grid on the building's facade with an open center.

The L-shaped high-rise construction of the building is considered to be a structural challenge, especially because it is in a seismic zone. It has acquired nicknames such as "Twisted donut" and "The Pants" by locals.

In many ways, the building is truly "the most." Its shape makes it the most radically shaped building designed so far. For architects and builders, it has been the most technically challenging project they have ever worked on. In addition, many people believe it is the most expensive office building in the world for its 800 million-US dollar budget.