Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) has officially completed the new headquarters for WeBank, the Tencent-founded digital-only bank and fintech pioneer, in Shenzhen’s Qianhai Business District.
The 30-storey, 148-metre tower is designed to redefine the modern workplace, prioritising comfort, flexibility, and performance to support the evolving needs of a digitally connected workforce.
“WeBank’s headquarters introduces a new paradigm for workplace design — where nature-based strategies and advanced technology come together to create a healthy, high-performance environment,” said SOM Partner Scott Duncan.
“The architecture mirrors the bank’s mission, fostering connection through open-air terraces, shared atria, and digitally integrated workspaces.”
The building’s expressive form, characterised by staggered floor plates and double-height openings, creates a porous facade that enhances airflow and daylight penetration.
Expansive open-plan offices are designed for comfort and collaboration, offering direct access to outdoor terraces and abundant natural light.
The large floor plates — each exceeding 4,000 square metres — enable flexible team configurations, a key advantage for financial and tech companies with dynamic needs.
Multi-level indoor atria facilitate connectivity across departments, while a suite of leisure- and wellness-focused amenities, including a basketball court, gym, outdoor pool, cafeteria, and auditorium, cultivates a sense of balance and community throughout the day.
Wellness and sustainability are central to the building’s design.
The tower is LEED Platinum-certified and targets China Green Building Label 3 Star certification, incorporating both passive and active environmental strategies tailored to Shenzhen’s subtropical climate.
Solar-responsive facades filter glare and reduce heat gain, using overhangs and recessed balconies to cut solar radiation by more than 50 per cent, which lowers cooling demands and enhances year-round comfort.
Automated systems manage these responsive features, maintaining optimal indoor conditions with minimal mechanical intervention.
A holistic Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) strategy guides the building’s approach to comfort, air quality, and energy efficiency — with natural ventilation serving as a central component.
“At WeBank, we developed a highly efficient system that minimises dependence on mechanical cooling during favourable conditions,” said SOM Principal Luke Leung.
“It not only improves comfort but also supports cognitive function and overall health.”
Guided by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis, the ventilation strategy combines operable facades with stack-effect atria that act like vertical fans, drawing fresh air up through the building.
Environmental sensors monitor outdoor air quality and temperature, activating natural ventilation only when conditions are optimal.
As air moves through the tower, it passes through a series of vegetated terraces planted with native Lingnan species, which help filter pollutants and enrich the indoor microbial environment.
On the rooftop, a landscaped garden provides space for relaxation while capturing rainwater for irrigation and managing stormwater runoff.
The roof is also future-ready, designed to support solar integration in line with WeBank’s long-term sustainability objectives.
The completion of the WeBank headquarters marks a milestone in workplace innovation, blending nature, technology, and sustainability to set a new benchmark for the future of work.
