The Hong Yun Mixed-Use Tower is a new sculptural 46-story building located on lakeside site in Shenyang, China. The project is located at the edge of the city’s financial zone, and acts as a gateway from the older neighborhood to the newer one; the massing and materiality are designed to respond to both conditions.

Beginning at grade, the four-story retail podium is a mix of solid masonry and glass. In height, the podium relates to the nearby low-rise structures. The site is located on a very active intersection to the northeast. The vehicular activity nearby will be amplified by the construction of new elevated expressway located due west of the site. Aesthetically the podium has been highly influenced by the movement and activity around the site.

The podium features an internal street which was introduced into the commercial spaces to maximize sunlight into the mall to enhance the shopping experience. Above the podium, 366,000 sq. ft. (34,000 SM) of Grade-A office space will occupy 17 floors. A 135-key boutique hotel will occupy floors 22 to 32, followed by 84 residences on the top 14 floors.

The massing of the tower is designed to cut a slender profile toward the picturesque lake, while the upper portion of the tower gently recedes, moving the bulk of the tower away from the mid- and low-rise buildings to the north. The tower is wrapped in a curving curtainwall that is cut open along its southern face to reveal balconies for the hotel and residential units. Metal fins on the glass create a pattern that adds some shadow contrast during the day, and serve as light fixtures at night.