The CCTV Headquarters in Beijing rejects the conventional idea of a skyscraper as a single tower. Two leaning volumes rise from a shared base and connect at height through a horizontal section. The result is a continuous three dimensional loop whose silhouette changes from every side.
OMA designed the building from 2002 and records its completion in 2012. Rem Koolhaas, David Gianotten and Ole Scheeren were the principal design partners. The complex was built for China Central Television to accommodate offices and production facilities.
Its most conspicuous element is the 75 metre upper cantilever. It is not a separate bridge placed between conventional towers. The structure transfers forces around a closed circuit, and the diagonal facade grid makes areas of differing load visible.
The building's form changes with the viewpoint. From some angles it appears as a compact frame, while from others the two towers separate dramatically. OMA sought to replace the traditional competition for height with a spatial experience understood while moving around the building.
The headquarters stands in Beijing's Central Business District near China Zun. Together, they demonstrate two approaches to tall architecture. China Zun emphasises a slender vertical form, while CCTV arranges offices and production spaces in a connected circuit.
The building is best observed from public streets around Guomao. The diagonal facade structure is clearest at close range, while the complete loop becomes visible from a distance. Its significance lies not only in an unusual outline, but in transforming the basic type of the office tower.
