Tall & Urban News

Infinitus Plaza was inaugurated early in the week of 8 November. This project is the new headquarters for Infinitus China and will hold the company’s herbal medicine research facilities and safety assessment labs. The project will also feature a learning center space that can hold conferences and exhibitions. Overall, this project is meant to be a gateway for the new Baiyun Central Business District.

The building has eight stories and covers 185,643 square meters (1,998,240 square feet). The project is designed with a series of rings that promote interactions and communication across departments. The form of the building also creates numerous indoor and outdoor spaces open to the public, promoting a strong sense of community. The wellbeing of the employees is supported by a variety of amenities including exercise rooms, a gym, relaxation zones, restaurants, and cafés. 

The project has been constructed to met LEED Gold certification and the equivalent of 3-Stars of China’s Green Building Program. In addition, the construction minimized the amount of concrete needed and used over 25,000 tonnes (27,600 US tons) of recycled materials.

Smart management systems in the building monitor and control various building functions to make sure it is running optimally. One thing they monitor is the membrane’s exterior surface. When it reaches 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit), sprinklers are activated to cool the surface by 14 degrees Celsius (25 degrees Fahrenheit) which can reduce inside temperatures by 5 degrees Celsius (9 degrees Fahrenheit). The building’s air quality is also automatically adjusted depending on occupancy levels. Overtime, the smart system learns to predict daily occupancy trends so it can perform more efficiently. 

For more on this story, go to Zaha Hadid Architect’s website.