Despite having a honeycomb façade inspired by the architectural style of traditional buildings, the Sinosteel International Plaza in the Chinese city of Tianjin is an entirely modern beast.
Located within an urban development considered vital to China’s future economic growth, the building towers above all that currently surrounds it, but offers little more than a place to work. In fact, Tianjin’s Binhai New District is so economy-focussed that it runs the risk of turning into a ghost town outside of working hours. That is the focus of my new post for Zouk Architects:
The presence of Tianjin’s airport, numerous industrial parks, and innovative architectural developments alongside China’s continuing economic strength suggest the financial success of the Binhai New District is almost inevitable. However, as the Sinosteel International Plaza nears completion, it will be interesting to watch the cultural identity of Tianjin’s newest area emerge from what is clearly an urban development which prioritises economics above all else.
