Occupying a 1.2 hectare city block fronting the busy Nanjing Road, that serves the major commercial and business districts in the Heping District of Tianjin, Tianjin Emperor Place has 80,800 square metres of mixed-use space spread over four blocks that are connected at the bottom by a podium.

The blocks include 18 stories of Grade-A offices, a 25-storey human resource networking centre, serviced residences and a 38-storey five-star hotel - the Westin Tianjin. Each block is placed at the outer corners of the site, to maximize the views of Tianjin’s premier commercial district, taking on its own identity in their individual modern facades, yet unified through their expression of verticality in the rhythm of their fins and cladding.

The office block facing the Resists Earthquakes Monument is kept low at ten stories, as a sign of respect. The façade is in mirrored frameless glazing, greeting users of the building with a reflection of the monument and providing a visual extension of the monument park. The thick aluminium cladding border around the block frames this reflection, highlighting its significance.

While the other blocks end with a flat roof, Westin’s roof slopes up toward the intersection of Nanjing Road and Shanxi Road, its crisp clear form addressing a busy street while it stands as a clear landmark to the development.