Work has begun on what will become China’s second tallest building, morningwhistle.com reports. The country’s biggest property developer, Evergrande Real Estate Group Limited, has confirmed that foundation work on the Evergrande International Finance Center was completed on 21 December.

Situated in Jinan city, in the central business district of China’s Shandong province, the multi-function Center will comprise residential apartments, hotels, office space, entertainment venues, commercial space ‘and more’.

With a ‘curvaceous podium’ giving way to a huge column, the structure will offer gross floor area of 1.1 million square metres and become China’s second tallest building.

Will exceed the existing 492m Shanghai World Financial Center

The project is due to measure 560 metres tall, exceeding the 492-metre Shanghai World Financial Center but standing just shy of China’s tallest building, the 632-metre high Shanghai Tower.

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Some 1,300 skyscrapers are being planned over the next decade which, according to the ‘2012 China Skyscraper Cities Report’, positions China as the country which possesses the most tall buildings in the world.

Designed by British architects Terry Farrell and Partners

The Center has been designed by British architects Terry Farrell and Partners, who intends for the building, glazed in mirrored glass external cladding, to serve as a landmark. The area itself, which is undergoing much regeneration, has adopted a ‘build and they will come’ philosophy, according toskyscrapernews.com.

The Center is considered the leading part in Jinan’s new international finance hub.

Author: Elizabeth Smythe   Date Written: 3 January 2013