Xiamen Shimao Straits Tower

Inspired by the grace and simplicity of Xiamen’s city flower, the triangular-shaped Plum Blossom, this mixed-use development represents both the city’s unique culture and its rapid economic development. During the design process, Gensler considered how the towers would illuminate Xiamen’s skyline from different perspectives and how the towers would respond to their position at the meeting of water and land. Incorporating office, hotel, loft apartments and retail uses, the twin towers appear to bloom, as a podium supports the “flowers” sitting gracefully atop the water. The design accentuates the area’s local heritage while deftly representing the innovative edge key to the city’s sustained growth.