Pear River Tower, Hualien Beach Resort exemplify modern China

Pearl River Tower (Guangzhou, China) 

The 2.3-million square-foot Pearl River Tower redefines what is possible in sustainable design by incorporating the latest green technology and engineering advancements. The 309-meter tower's sculpted body directs wind to a pair of openings at its mechanical floors, where traveling winds push turbines which generate energy for the building.



Hualien Beach Resort (Hualien, TW) 

Located between two river deltas in Taiwan, the Hualien Beach Resort used to be the site of an industrial factory region. Low-angle, high-glare morning and evening sun is blocked by the striped design while favorable north-south light is let in to the unit. Green roofs further mitigate heat gain, creating a low energy masterplan.

CTF Tower in Tianjin, China, is world's newest phallic symbol

Even though the 20th Century was mostly about ever taller urban penises, adding biomorphism to the "supertall" structures creates a lifelike icon, fully realized in Tianjin's new CTF Tower, designed by Chicago-based architects Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill (SOM).

This building is also reminiscent of Apollo rockets from NASA, ready for liftoff! Even though I prefer more horizontal, flowing, female-influenced buildings, as far as skyscrapers go, this one is a gem.