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Information 85,000-sq. meter mixed-use devel- opment in the city center of Qingdao 64 story tower consisting of duplex hotel apartments, office and retail Private club between the office floors and hotel apartment consisting of roof garden, swimming pool, and health club currently being constructed. Expected completion date 2013 Architect Pei Partnership Architects - - - - Qingdao Taishan Real Estate Development Qingdao, China The site is located right at the heart of the central business center of Qingdao and along the prominent thoroughfare, Hong Kong Road. The Qingdao Taishan Real Estate Development project will be a landmark among the vital city center. It will greatly contribute to the city's ever- changing skyline. Its mixed-use program of retail, office and hotel components will weave into the existing urban fabric in a coherent and integrated approach. The Qingdao Taishan Real Estate Development project is conceived as a single slender tower of 228-meter height on the skyline of Qingdao with its most prominent side facing the municipal building to its west. This tower is composed of three principal uses: 2 stories of retail, 19 stories of office and another 19 stories of duplex hotel service apartments, together with 2 other stories of building service and amenities. Due to its unique configu- ration, this 64-story building requires only 45 elevator stops, resulting in greatly increased efficiency. At its base, a solid artifice rises with a crafted tectonic of stone and containing the retail and office floors that are designed to achieve maximum efficiency through an orthogonal layout. A sculpted curvilinear armature of glass and steel rises from the base and folds to contain elegant service apartments with magnificent views. From the outside, the two distinct geometric forms appear engaged with one another while the glass façades at both ends of the tower extend to the ground to create a visually balanced and interesting compo- sition. The steel and glass tower assumes the shape of an arc that opens out to embrace the Yellow Sea. A full height glass façade at each floor allows for uninterrupted views of the blue sky and water. The arc of the hotel tower provides the greatest length running east to west and favors views not only to the south but southwest to the city. The duplex design of each unit allows for a double height space in each living room resulting in dramatic views and light while the bedroom is located at the mezzanine floor facing north to the mountains beyond. Natural cross ventilation is therefore ensured in each unit. A sky garden, swimming pool and club house provide luxury amenities for the hotel guests and club house members. Lush planting and landscaping at the street level and the pool deck level will bring essential visual relief to the building façade.
