Case Study: Suzhou Daily High-Rise

Location: Suzhou, CN

Design: HENN

Collaboration: TU Dresden, Centre for Knowledge Architecture Dresden

Role: Building design & tool development

How one could increase social interaction in a high-rise building ?

A case study for this exploration is the “Suzhou Daily” headquarters building in Suzhou, China. Central part of that building consists of a series of stacked, cascading atriums. Proportions and ditribution of the voids are designed in order to maximize visibility within the building.

In order to analyse and compare various void configurations, we have developed a tool that extends the visibility graph analysis into the third dimension.

This allows us to analyse the visual connectivity across multiple levels through the introduction of a vertical void. The aim was to develop a communicative zone for interaction, exchange and distraction by maximizing the vertical view axis.

The tool developed by HENN and the Centre for Knowledge Architecture in Dresden extends the viewshed analysis into the third dimension. The tool allows us to analyze the visual connectivity across multiple levels through the introduction of a vertical void. Maximizing visibility in the vertical axis leads then to a more communicative, interactive space. (text from HENN)