The design for Poly Liuzhou International Center draws inspiration from its surrounding stunning geological formation known as the South China Karst and reinterprets elements of the ‘weathering’ of the Karst landform into the urban complex. This is expressed in its terraced podium. The architectural form, weathered by urban forces, features intentionally placed cuts at 45 degrees to enlarge display frontages and carefully located “crevices” to enhance pedestrian circulations. Urban relationships such as the extension of a city park on the east, a large display front for the highway to the south, pedestrianized shopping street between the mall and the residential development to the north as well as receding terraces that accommodate a sizeable F&B programme, work their way into this urban block.

Carrying this design language upwards, the 250m tower above the urban complex features chamfered edges. These not only break down the massive tower block but also visually translates to a slenderer elevational width, resulting in better visual proportion. The tower’s square plan is angled at 45 degrees to avoid direct frontage with the residential towers on the north, at the same time maximising the river view on the east and increasing south-facing frontages.