Bank of China Beijing Headquarters

Beijing, China
1,700,000 sf – $160M – Built 2000

Owner: Bank of China Building Co.
Architect: Pei Partnership Architect
Structural Engineer: Weidlinger Associates Inc
Personal Role: Project Engineer

Project Summary: The new Headquarters of Bank of China is located at the northwest corner of the intersection of Xidan North Street and Fuxingmennei Street, on a 13,100-square-meter site. It is a 16-story concrete building with four underground levels for parking. Slurry wall system was used for the deep excavation. The superstructure features long span bridge trusses that support the south and east building wings above and create column-free spaces at entrances. Behind the entrances, a grand central four-season courtyard connects all the building wings and is covered by a roof skylight in modular pyramids. It creates a massive open space for fresh air and ample light. The southeast VIP entrance with a half-sphere dome canopy allows people to see through the building, highlighting the precision of design and construction. The building is already considered by many to be an architectural landmark. The project received 2002 ACEC NY diamond award, as well as ACEC national finalist.