IROOTECH Headquarters

SANY Group, a renowned manufacturer of engineering equipment, has commissioned SOM to design its new headquarters. The twin towers are connected by a distinctive exposed structural design: modules of concrete-filled steel tubular columns, each five stories high, form a diagrid structure.

The lighting team has essentially dressed the structure in an elegantly tailored suit—a "gentleman in a suit" perfectly captures its commanding presence. Yet, when you truly experience the building in the nightscape, you are drawn to its gentle and understated side, where every detail is rendered with impeccable appropriateness.

The power of light acts as an amplifier of structural tension. A custom optical system—featuring micron-level light distribution lenses and dynamically controlled LED arrays—is precisely positioned along the main load-bearing structural paths. The intensity and direction of the light vary precisely according to the structural mechanics: this ensures that the proportion of light received and the smoothness of the large-span columns are maximized from every angle.

Light intensity converges at the joints, accentuating the transmission of force, while linear components are complemented by parallel light tracks that emphasize their axial tension. Like an exoskeleton, the interplay of light and shadow at the joints creates a compelling sense of rhythm and power.

The dynamic control is exceptionally restrained, applied only at key structural transition points with extremely gradual intensity adjustments that mimic the subtle variations in structural tension under natural light. The light color is strictly limited to a single neutral white (e.g., 4000K), eliminating any emotional influence from color to return to the pure expression of structural essence. The passage of time serves solely to highlight the structure's unchanging strength and inherent beauty.