The Phoenix International Media Centre (), also known as the Phoenix Centre (凤凰中心; ''Fènghuáng Zhōngxīn'') is a building in

Beijing Beijing, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Peking, is the capital city of China. With more than 22 million residents, it is the world's List of national capitals by population, most populous national capital city as well as ...

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

. It is located in the southwestern corner of

Chaoyang Park Chaoyang Park () is a park located on the site of the former Prince's Palace in Beijing's Chaoyang District. The park's construction began in 1984 and it became Beijing's largest park. It is approximately 2.8 km in length and approximately 1.5 ...

in Beijing. The centre features a torus-like design. The building's sculptural shape originates from the "

Möbius strip In mathematics, a Möbius strip, Möbius band, or Möbius loop is a Surface (topology), surface that can be formed by attaching the ends of a strip of paper together with a half-twist. As a mathematical object, it was discovered by Johann Bened ...

" and establishes a harmonical relationship with the alignment of the turning road, the street corner, and Chaoyang Park.

History

In 2007,

Phoenix Television Phoenix Television is a majority State-owned enterprise, state-owned television network that offers Standard Chinese, Mandarin and Cantonese-language channels that serve mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and other markets with substantial C ...

, a

Hong Kong Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...

-based television network, proposed to build a media centre in Beijing. The building meant to represent not only the corporation spirit of Phoenix TV but also the profound cultural tradition of China. The centre was designed by the government-owned Beijing Institute of Architectural Design, with executive chief architect Shao Weiping. The enclosing of the final form involved 3,800 glass panels. Unlike the nearby CMG Headquarters, the building is open to the public.

Design

According to Architect Shao Weiping, the design of the building resembles DNA-like double helix that has been wrapped into a loop. He adds that the circular contours of the Phoenix complex echo the

yin-yang Originating in Chinese philosophy, yin and yang (, ), also yinyang or yin-yang, is the concept of opposite cosmic principles or forces that interact, interconnect, and perpetuate each other. Yin and yang can be thought of as complementary an ...

symbol of ancient Chinese philosophy. The Phoenix Centre is notable for being an experimental building designed by a domestic firm. Within the doughnut-shaped exterior "shell" are two conventionally-structured interior towers. The contours were designed using parametric 3D modelling software. The software, including

Frank Gehry Frank Owen Gehry ( ; ; born February 28, 1929) is a Canadian-American architect and designer. A number of his buildings, including his private residence in Santa Monica, California, have become attractions. Gehry rose to prominence in th ...

’s Digital Project modeling tools, enabled him to "intricately manipulate" the parameters of the overall design and structural engineering of the Phoenix Center, to precisely control the airflow around the building and to convert the facade’s steel diagrid into a network of miniature canals to transport raindrops into an array of reflective pools surrounding the building. The structure features a parametrically designed

atrium Atrium may refer to: Anatomy * Atrium (heart), an anatomical structure of the heart * Atrium, the genital structure next to the genital aperture in the reproductive system of gastropods * Atrium of the ventricular system of the brain * Pulmona ...

. The building covers a land area of 18,000 m², with a construction floor area of 72,478 m². The two independent office towers under the shell generate shared public space. In the east and west parts of the shared spaces, there are continuous steps, landscape platforms, and sky ramps. A dedicated visitors’ pathway winds past the building’s broadcasting studios and explorers may interact with reporters during the tour. The centre accommodates television production studios, offices and businesses.

Awards

In 2017, the building won the

Outstanding Structure Award The Outstanding Structure Award is an award presented by the International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering to the Engineer, Architect, Contractor, and the Owner in recognition of ''the most remarkable, innovative, creative or other ...

, presented by the

International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering The International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering (IABSE) is a non-profit organisation with mission to promote the exchange of knowledge and to advance the practice of structural engineering worldwide in the service of the profes ...

. The association stated that the "Phoenix Centre represents a complex spatial structure originated from 3D parametric design techniques resulting in an extraordinary interaction of architectural and structural aspects”.

Gallery

File:凤凰中心东中庭的台阶和坡道仰望.jpg, Image of the interior File:建设中的凤凰传媒中心环内（2011年）.jpg, Empty space within the “torus”, 2011 File:Phoenix Center, Beijing 2.jpg, Phoenix Center, Beijing 2023 File:Phoenix Center, Beijing 1.jpg, Phoenix Center, Beijing entrance

References

{{authority control Buildings and structures in Chaoyang District, Beijing Office buildings completed in 2014 2014 establishments in China Office buildings in Beijing Tourist attractions in Beijing Postmodern architecture in China Phoenix Television

History

Design

Awards

Gallery

See also

References