One of the most amazing skyscrapers in the world forms an amazing background to the traditional buildings in Beijing, the capital of the People’s Republic of China.
In this article, you’ll discover the ultimate list of interesting facts about China Zun, also known as the CITIC Tower, a supertall modern building.
1. It’s located in the Central Business District of Beijing
China Zun is the nickname of a supertall skyscraper called the “CITIC Tower.” This astounding modern building is located in the Central Business District of Beijing. This area is referred to as the “Chaoyang District,” one of the multiple core districts of this enormous city.
Some of the most famous landmarks in the city are located just nearby as well (in Beijing terms) as the Tiananmen Square with the adjoining Forbidden City to the north is situated just a few kilometers to the west. The popular Temple of Heaven is located at an equal distance to the southwest.
The modern buildings of the business district are in sheer contrast with the traditional Chinese buildings that were built in the early 15th century, something that creates a remarkable atmosphere.
2. Its nickname refers to a traditional Chinese wine container
One of the most remarkable facts about China Zun is that even though it was designed as a modern skyscraper, it still features a fascinating traditional element.
That’s because the tower’s design resembles a so-called “zun,” a traditional container to hold wine. This remarkable wine vessel was made out of bronze or ceramic and was used until the Song Dynasty between 960 and 1126.
Even though these zun’s came in all shapes and sizes and often featured decorations, we can clearly see the resemblance with the design of the CITIC Tower. This is obviously also the reason why it was given this nickname.
3. The building as designed by a world-renowned architectural firm
The structural engineer in charge of the construction of the building was Arup, a multinational engineering firm that has tons of experience constructing tall skyscrapers and all sorts of amazing buildings. The Sydney Opera House and Marina Bay Sands in Singapore are just a few of the high-level projects they have been involved in.
The architectural firm that designed the tower is equally renowned as this was done by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF), one of the largest architectural firms in New York City.
Some of the highlights of KPF’s portfolio include the Shanghai World Financial Center and the huge redevelopment project in the Hudson Yards area of Manhattan which features the amazing 30 Hudson Yards.
Not too shabby either, don’t you think?
4. It’s the tallest building in the city by quite some distance
The tower features an incredible 109 stories and an additional 8 stories below the ground as well. It stands exactly 527.7 meters (1,731 feet 4 inches) tall which makes it by far the tallest building in Beijing.
To give some reference to this amazing number, it’s exactly 197.7 meters (648.62 feet) taller than the second-tallest building in Beijing.
This skyscraper is called the “China World Trade Center Tower III” and “only” stands 330 meters (1,083 feet) tall, a height that made it the tallest building in the city between 2009 and 2018.
5. The building is used for a wide variety of purposes
China Zun is the very definition of a multi-purpose skyscraper as it’s used for a wide variety of things:
- 60 floors consist of office spaces.
- 20 floors feature luxury apartments.
- 20 floors feature a hotel with 300 rooms.
More interesting facts about China Zun
6. Even though the groundbreaking ceremony of the tower happened on September 19, 2011, the enormous building wasn’t completed until late 2018. The initial estimate was to complete the building within 5 years, something that clearly didn’t happen.
7. The tower topped out on August 18, 2017. Upon completion, in 2018 it became the tallest structure to be built that year.
8. the skyscraper will certainly remain the tallest building in Beijing for quite some time. The reason is the fact that the government has issued a maximum height limit of just 180 meters (590 feet) to avoid the Central Business District becoming too dense.
9. China Zun is the 9th-tallest building in the world at the moment of writing this article (June 2021) and the third-tallest in Northern China. Yes, two buildings are actually higher called the Goldin Finance 117 (596 meters / 1,955 feet) and the Chow Tai Fook Binhai Center (530 meters / 1,739 feet), both located in Tianjin.
10. The total floor area of the building consists of 437,000 square meters (4,703,800 square feet).
11. The office space is divided into 7 areas and some of the biggest companies in China and worldwide have offices here, including the China Construction Bank, the China CITIC Bank, and CITIC Group, Alibaba, along with multiple Fortune Global 500 Enterprises.
12. The building isn’t completed yet because there are plans to build an amazing rooftop garden on the top floor. This will be located at a height of 524 meters (1,719 feet) and upon completion (no date is set yet) will most certainly provide the best views in all of Beijing!
