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Height is measured from the level of the lowest, significant, open-air, pedestrian entrance to the highest point of the building, irrespective of material or function of the highest element (i.e., including antennae, flagpoles, signage and other functional-technical equipment).
Height is measured from the level of the lowest, significant, open-air, pedestrian entrance to the architectural top of the building, including spires, but not including antennae, signage, flag poles or other functional-technical equipment. This measurement is the most widely utilized and is employed to define the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) rankings of the "World's Tallest Buildings."
Height is measured from the level of the lowest, significant, open-air, pedestrian entrance to the highest occupied floor within the building.
The number of floors above ground should include the ground floor level and be the number of main floors above ground, including any significant mezzanine floors and major mechanical plant floors. Mechanical mezzanines should not be included if they have a significantly smaller floor area than the major floors below. Similarly, mechanical penthouses or plant rooms protruding above the general roof area should not be counted. Note: CTBUH floor counts may differ from published accounts, as it is common in some regions of the world for certain floor levels not to be included (e.g., the level 4, 14, 24, etc. in Hong Kong).
The number of floors below ground should include all major floors located below the ground floor level.
Tianjin CTF Finance Centre
Tianjin Chow Tai Fook Binhai Center
Building
Completed
2019
hotel / serviced apartments / office
composite
LEED Gold
530 m / 1,739 ft
97
4
249
365
2192
81
10 m/s
291,610 m² / 3,138,864 ft²
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Proposed
Construction Start
Completed
Usually involved in the front end design, with a "typical" condition being that of a leadership role through either Schematic Design or Design Development, and then a monitoring role through the CD and CA phases.
Usually takes on the balance of the architectural effort not executed by the "Design Architect," typically responsible for the construction documents, conforming to local codes, etc. May often be referred to as "Executive," "Associate," or "Local" Architect, however, for consistency CTBUH uses the term "Architect of Record" exclusively.
The Design Engineer is usually involved in the front end design, typically taking the leadership role in the Schematic Design and Design Development, and then a monitoring role through the CD and CA phases.
The Engineer of Record takes the balance of the engineering effort not executed by the “Design Engineer,” typically responsible for construction documents, conforming to local codes, etc.
The Peer Review Engineer traditionally comments on the information produced by another party, and to render second opinions, but not to initiate what the design looks like from the start.
The Design Engineer is usually involved in the front end design, typically taking the leadership role in the Schematic Design and Design Development, and then a monitoring role through the CD and CA phases.
The Engineer of Record takes the balance of the engineering effort not executed by the “Design Engineer,” typically responsible for construction documents, conforming to local codes, etc.
Other Consultant refers to other organizations which provided significant consultation services for a building project (e.g. wind consultants, environmental consultants, fire and life safety consultants, etc).
These are firms that consult on the design of a building's façade. May often be referred to as "Cladding," "Envelope," "Exterior Wall," or "Curtain Wall" Consultant, however, for consistency CTBUH uses the term "Façade Consultant" exclusively.
Material Supplier refers to organizations which supplied significant systems/materials for a building project (e.g. elevator suppliers, facade suppliers, etc).
You must be a CTBUH Member to view this resource.
Usually involved in the front end design, with a "typical" condition being that of a leadership role through either Schematic Design or Design Development, and then a monitoring role through the CD and CA phases.
Usually takes on the balance of the architectural effort not executed by the "Design Architect," typically responsible for the construction documents, conforming to local codes, etc. May often be referred to as "Executive," "Associate," or "Local" Architect, however, for consistency CTBUH uses the term "Architect of Record" exclusively.
The Design Engineer is usually involved in the front end design, typically taking the leadership role in the Schematic Design and Design Development, and then a monitoring role through the CD and CA phases.
The Engineer of Record takes the balance of the engineering effort not executed by the “Design Engineer,” typically responsible for construction documents, conforming to local codes, etc.
The Peer Review Engineer traditionally comments on the information produced by another party, and to render second opinions, but not to initiate what the design looks like from the start.
The Design Engineer is usually involved in the front end design, typically taking the leadership role in the Schematic Design and Design Development, and then a monitoring role through the CD and CA phases.
The Engineer of Record takes the balance of the engineering effort not executed by the “Design Engineer,” typically responsible for construction documents, conforming to local codes, etc.
The CTBUH lists a project manager when a specific firm has been commissioned to oversee this aspect of a tall building’s design/construction. When the project management efforts are handled by the developer, main contract, or architect, this field will be omitted.
The main contractor is the supervisory contractor of all construction work on a project, management of sub-contractors and vendors, etc. May be referred to as "Construction Manager," however, for consistency CTBUH uses the term "Main Contractor" exclusively.
Other Consultant refers to other organizations which provided significant consultation services for a building project (e.g. wind consultants, environmental consultants, fire and life safety consultants, etc).
These are firms that consult on the design of a building's façade. May often be referred to as "Cladding," "Envelope," "Exterior Wall," or "Curtain Wall" Consultant, however, for consistency CTBUH uses the term "Façade Consultant" exclusively.
Material Supplier refers to organizations which supplied significant systems/materials for a building project (e.g. elevator suppliers, facade suppliers, etc).
Best Tall Building 400 meters and above 2021 Award of Excellence
2021 CTBUH Awards
Best Tall Building Asia 2021 Award of Excellence
2021 CTBUH Awards
Structural Engineering Award 2021 Award of Excellence
2021 CTBUH Awards
CTBUH Releases Year in Review: Tall Trends of 2019
12 December 2019 - CTBUH Research
Top Company Rankings: The World’s 100 Tallest Buildings
13 October 2016 - CTBUH Research
17 October 2016 | Tianjin
A Cultural Brand’s Journey Toward Building A Better New World
New World Development Company Limited (NWD) has been a listed property developer in Hong Kong for nearly half a century. With businesses encompassing property development,...
20 March 2020
Interactive Study on The Tallest 20 in 2020: Then and Now
CTBUH Research
This research paper undertakes a review of the 2012 report by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, “Tallest 20 in 2020: Entering the...
The Tianjin CTF Finance Centre is located in the Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area, an outer district of Tianjin, China. The tower serves as an anchor for the larger area development, while housing office space, luxury serviced apartments, and a hotel.
By stacking reducing floor plates, the tower tapers dramatically to minimize the surface area exposed to wind, sun, and moisture. The gently-undulating curves of the façade subtly denote the integration of the three distinct programs within a singular smooth object. Square in plan with rounded corners, the floor plate geometry enables unique interior fit-outs and customization options for occupants. Research by the architect has the shown that lateral forces due to vortex shedding can be controlled by tapering the vertical profile of the tower and softening any sharp corners in plan. The building’s aerodynamic shape greatly reduces this vortex shedding by “confusing the wind” and disrupting the opportunity for any resonating wind forces and loads on the structure.
The softly curving glass skin integrates eight sloping megacolumns that follow a lyrical line connecting the centers and corners of all four elevations. These curving megacolumns increase the structure’s response to seismic concerns and are integral to both the gravity and lateral systems. They are effective in increasing the stiffness of the building’s perimeter frame, consequently attracting a larger portion of the seismic forces in compliance with the Chinese code requirements.
The façade reinforces the curvature of the tower form and creates a shimmering texture over the building’s surface. The crystalline-like curtain wall stretches from the suspended glass canopies at each of the lobbies to the dematerialized, megacolumn-looped crown and presents a bold expression of a comprehensive, integrated design on the Tianjin skyline.
Best Tall Building 400 meters and above 2021 Award of Excellence
2021 CTBUH Awards
Best Tall Building Asia 2021 Award of Excellence
2021 CTBUH Awards
Structural Engineering Award 2021 Award of Excellence
2021 CTBUH Awards
17 October 2016 | Tianjin
A Cultural Brand’s Journey Toward Building A Better New World
New World Development Company Limited (NWD) has been a listed property developer in Hong Kong for nearly half a century. With businesses encompassing property development,...
17 September 2014 | Tianjin
A New Skyline Vision: CTF Towers in Guangzhou and Tianjin
This presentation presents the thinking behind the design of the two supertall towers of Chow Tai Fook Enterprise– the Guangzhou CTF Finance Center and the...
19 September 2012 | Tianjin
Considering Place in an Integrated Approach to Tall
The rapid development of Chinese cities has provided unique opportunities to create architecture that either responds to its context or, in the case of emerging...
20 March 2020
Interactive Study on The Tallest 20 in 2020: Then and Now
This research paper undertakes a review of the 2012 report by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, “Tallest 20 in 2020: Entering the...
20 March 2020
Tall + Urban Innovation 2020: Dominant Trends
Providing a global overview of tall building development, design and construction, the CTBUH Awards Program and related Tall + Urban Innovation Conference annually survey projects,...
30 January 2020
Determinism, Integration, and Articulation Lead Up to a Landmark
Completed in 2019, the Tianjin Chow Tai Fook (CTF) Finance Centre is currently the seventh-tallest building in the world, tied with the Guangzhou CTF Finance...
12 December 2019
Interactive Study on Year in Review: Tall Trends of 2019
The year 2019 was remarkable for the tall building industry, with 26 supertall buildings (300 meters or taller) completed, the most in any year. This...
29 July 2019
Highest Special-Purpose Spaces
Since humans first began constructing tall buildings, history has been cluttered with claims of all manner of “highest” records. In this study, we examine those...
01 March 2018
A Tall Building Ethos of Integration
The last decade has seen great design opportunities for tall building construction around the globe. The best designs represent a new generation of skyscrapers that...
17 October 2016
A Cultural Brand’s Journey Toward Building A Better New World
New World Development Company Limited (NWD) has been a listed property developer in Hong Kong for nearly half a century. With businesses encompassing property development,...
17 October 2016
From Icon to Community: The Repositioning of the Mega Tower in the City Context
Historically, mega-towers were frequently labelled “egocentric displays of power,” becoming iconic symbols of a city or an individual. In today’s age of global hyper-urbanization, supertall...
17 October 2016
Next-Generation Supertall Tower Form Determinants: A Study of the Tianjin CTF Finance Centre
This paper puts forth the elements of an integrated design approach to mixed-use supertall towers that is based on rationally creative strategies that encourage efficiency,...
17 October 2016
Overcoming MEP and VT System Design Challenges in Three of the Tallest Buildings in China
This paper will address the mechanical, electrical, plumbing and drainage, and vertical transportation system (MEP/VTS) design challenges encountered during the design development of three unique,...
12 December 2019
The year 2019 was remarkable for the tall building industry, with 26 supertall buildings (300 meters or taller) completed, the most in any year. This is the second consecutive year in which this record was broken, besting 18 supertalls in 2018.
13 October 2016
The Council is pleased to announce the Top Company Rankings for numerous disciplines as derived from the list of projects appearing in 100 of the World’s Tallest Buildings.
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