Phoenix International Media Center, Beijing
See the full list of the Unusual building of the week series here.
Completed in 2014, this doughnut-shaped building serves as the headquarters for the Chinese broadcaster Phoenix Television. It is located on the corner of Chaoyang Park in Beijing.
Designed by the architectural studio BIAD UFO, the building is formed by two bulbous towers with kidney-shaped floorplans wrapped in a latticed glass and steel skin. One tower is several storeys taller than the other giving the torus’ volume its angled profile. The architects were inspired by the twisted form of a symbolic Möbius strip.
The outer shell, made up of a 'stretched' web of steel and 3,800 differently sized and detailed glass panels, encloses snaking elevated walkways and staircases that connect offices and studios. Throughout, the interiors are finished with light-coloured flooring, white walls and gridded glazing.
The curving volume peels away from the ground to reveal access routes to an open-air atrium in the centre of the building.
[edit] Find out more
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Apple Park
- Beijing Greenland Center.
- Beijing National Stadium.
- Building of the week series.
- CCTV Headquarters.
- China Philharmonic Hall.
- Fuji TV Building, Tokyo.
- Gate to the East.
- Guangzhou Circle.
- Hangzhou Gateway, China.
- National Centre for the Performing Arts, Beijing.
- Rose Museum.
- Shanghai Tower.
- Studio Bell, Calgary.
- Teapot building.
- Unusual building design of the week.
Featured articles and news
The context, schemes, standards, roles and relevance of the Building Safety Act.
Retrofit 25 – What's Stopping Us?
Exhibition Opens at The Building Centre.
Types of work to existing buildings
A simple circular economy wiki breakdown with further links.
A threat to the creativity that makes London special.
How can digital twins boost profitability within construction?
The smart construction dashboard, as-built data and site changes forming an accurate digital twin.
Unlocking surplus public defence land and more to speed up the delivery of housing.
The Planning and Infrastructure Bill
An outline of the bill with a mix of reactions on potential impacts from IHBC, CIEEM, CIC, ACE and EIC.
Farnborough College Unveils its Half-house for Sustainable Construction Training.
Spring Statement 2025 with reactions from industry
Confirming previously announced funding, and welfare changes amid adjusted growth forecast.
Scottish Government responds to Grenfell report
As fund for unsafe cladding assessments is launched.
CLC and BSR process map for HRB approvals
One of the initial outputs of their weekly BSR meetings.
Architects Academy at an insulation manufacturing facility
Programme of technical engagement for aspiring designers.
Building Safety Levy technical consultation response
Details of the planned levy now due in 2026.
Great British Energy install solar on school and NHS sites
200 schools and 200 NHS sites to get solar systems, as first project of the newly formed government initiative.
600 million for 60,000 more skilled construction workers
Announced by Treasury ahead of the Spring Statement.
The restoration of the novelist’s birthplace in Eastwood.
Life Critical Fire Safety External Wall System LCFS EWS
Breaking down what is meant by this now often used term.
PAC report on the Remediation of Dangerous Cladding
Recommendations on workforce, transparency, support, insurance, funding, fraud and mismanagement.
New towns, expanded settlements and housing delivery
Modular inquiry asks if new towns and expanded settlements are an effective means of delivering housing.
Comments
I this building open to the public to go inside?