BIG Designs Giant O-Shaped “Infinity Loop” Tower in China

BIG Designs Infinity Loop, An O-Shaped Tower for Hangzhou

Bjarke Ingels Group, or BIG, has just has just released images of a dramatic skyscraper for Hangzhou’s Future Sci-Tech City. Commissioned as the new research and development headquarters for China’s largest smartphone manufacturer OPPO, O-Tower is a futuristic design that incorporates the technology-driven aesthetics of the tech company and the new business district. BIG explains that the design symbolizes an infinity loop that “connects ground to sky in a continuous loop of collaboration.”

“Technology at its best should be a seamless extension of life,” says BIG partner Brian Yang. “The new OPPO R&D Headquarters embodies this notion, witting with ease in the scenic wetlands of Hangzhou, while negotiating between the dense urban fabric on one side and the natural landscape on the other. It will be an architectural manifestation of an OPPO product: effortlessly elegant, while elevating the quality of human life in the city.”

One way the project benefits the quality of city living is by including spaces designed to function for public use like exhibition spaces, conference centers, a canteen, and workshop areas. O-Tower is also designed to better the city through BIG’s belief in hedonistic sustainability—a practice that involves implementing green ideas throughout the project’s design instead of creating separate, metric-based goals. For this reason, the complex is covered in lush landscaping and workspaces are optimized to reduce energy usage. Though it is covered in glass, shading and adaptive louvers help to reduce solar gain.

The O shape acts both as an elegant symbol of OPPO’s brand and enhances the quality of the interior spaces. The architects created an interior courtyard at the center of the O and formed the top of the tower in a dramatic loop that dips down at the southern edge of the building. The courtyard and dynamic infinity loop allow plenty of natural light to enter the offices and shared spaces in O-Tower. At the base of the building, the designers included public spaces that would allow the city to enter the project, truly making the headquarters an accessible symbol for Hangzhou’s Future Sci-Tech City.

If you love this futuristic design for Hangzhou, check out our previous coverage of 10 Amazing Buildings Designed by Bjarke Ingels Group including CopenHill, LEGO House, and more.