GUANGZHOU INTERNATIONAL FINANCE CENTER: TECHNICAL REVIEW AND SPECIFICATIONS

The Guangzhou International Finance Center, often referred to as the West Tower, serves as one of the dual pillars of the Zhujiang New Town central business district. Rising 438.6 meters (1,439 feet), it was the tallest building in Guangzhou upon its completion in 2010 until it was surpassed by its neighbor, the CTF Finance Centre (East Tower).

This technical review analyzes the towers innovative diagrid structural system, its aerodynamic triangular geometry, and the unique engineering of its high-altitude atrium.

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN AND THE DIAGRID

Designed by WilkinsonEyre, the tower is defined by its elegant, curved profile and its distinctive diamond-shaped exoskeleton. Unlike traditional skyscrapers that hide their structure, the Guangzhou IFC celebrates it. The structural system is a "diagrid" (diagonal grid) formed by crossing steel columns.



This diagrid allows for a column-free interior floor plate and a transparent aesthetic. The building plan is a Reuleaux triangle (a curved triangle), which offers excellent aerodynamic properties. The form widens at the middle to maximize office floor space and tapers toward the top and bottom, reducing the surface area exposed to wind loads at the summit and minimizing the footprint at the base.

STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING: CONCRETE FILLED TUBES

The structural logic of the Guangzhou IFC relies on a tube-in-tube system. The outer tube is the diagrid, and the inner tube is a reinforced concrete core. A key engineering feat is the construction of the diagrid members. They are "concrete-filled steel tubes" (CFT).

These giant steel tubes were welded into the diamond pattern and then pumped full of high-strength concrete from the bottom up. This composite technique combines the tensile flexibility of steel with the compressive strength and fire resistance of concrete. The diagrid is so efficient at resisting lateral loads (wind and seismic) that it allowed the engineers to make the central concrete core much thinner than usual, increasing the usable floor area.

THE HIGH RISE ATRIUM

The top 30 floors of the tower (floors 70 to 100) are occupied by the Four Seasons Hotel. In this zone, the floor plates are cut away in the center to create a massive, hollow atrium that rises vertically through the hotel levels.



This internal void is conical, narrowing as it goes up, mirroring the exterior shape of the tower. This design presented a structural challenge: the central core, which provides stability for the office floors below, disappears in the hotel zone. The structural loads in this upper section are transferred almost entirely to the perimeter diagrid, demonstrating the systems immense bearing capacity.

VERTICAL TRANSPORTATION

The tower utilizes a double-deck elevator system supplied by Otis to handle the high volume of office traffic. The elevators are zoned to separate office workers, hotel guests, and sightseeing visitors.

The hotel elevators are particularly notable for their view. As guests travel from the ground floor lobby to the 70th-floor sky lobby, they remain enclosed. However, once inside the hotel atrium, internal elevators allow guests to look down into the 30-story void, providing a sense of the building's scale and geometric complexity.

TECHNICAL DATA SHEET

Official Name: Guangzhou International Finance Center
Also Known As: Guangzhou West Tower
Location: Zhujiang New Town, Tianhe District, Guangzhou
Architect: WilkinsonEyre
Structural Engineer: Arup
Completion Year: 2010
Architectural Height: 438.6 meters (1,439 feet)
Floor Count: 103
Structural System: Diagrid (Concrete-filled steel tubes)
Primary Function: Office, Hotel (Four Seasons)

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is this the tallest building in Guangzhou?
No. It was surpassed by the Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre (East Tower), which is 530 meters tall and located directly across the plaza.

What is the difference between the East and West towers?
The West Tower (Guangzhou IFC) is curved and uses a diagrid structure. The East Tower (CTF Finance Centre) is stepped and uses a white terracotta façade.

What is a diagrid?
A diagrid is a framework of diagonally intersecting metal beams (used for construction) that requires less steel than a conventional steel frame.

Can you visit the top?
Yes, the Four Seasons Hotel lobby is on the 70th floor, and there is a helipad on the roof (though usually restricted). The atrium view from the hotel floors is a major attraction.