The headquarters of the China Steel Corporation, in the city of Kaohsiung in southern Taiwan, has been designed by Artech Architects. The city's port, undergoing major expansion, is being transformed from the hub of an industrial city into the symbol of rebirth and urban regeneration with renewed functions like transportation, logistics, trade, culture and entertainment. The HQ of the China Steel Corporation, whose construction works will end soon, will be an integral element of this new area and will also become the new landmark of the port of Kaohsiung.
The building consists of four square section 'towers' held together by a common central core. Each tower, thanks to a 12.5° rotation every eight floors, has a dynamic geometry. Externally, the huge braces are placed to hold together the each block of eight floors, with terraces in each interval.
The double 'skin' diamond-shape curtain wall optimizes natural lighting and ventilation by reducing heat gain, minimizing energy consumption and keeping down traffic noise. On the ground floor, the building 'sits' on a water tank that surrounds it. The remainder of the site is densely planted with trees to provide a comfortable environment for the pedestrians.
The four multifaceted towers are grouped to optimize the seismic resistance and give greater emphasis to the strength of the steel.
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