Monk Mackenzie in conjunction with TT Architecture New York was awarded first place in the Tian Xi Tower invited competition for a 175,000sm mixed use tower in Nanning, for the CW Group in Shanghai. The 350 metre high tower was broken into three components over its height - a 14 level commercial zone at the base, 30 level residential zone at the centre and a 30 level 5-6 star hotel at the top. The form of the masterplan and the tower was derived from the morphology of nature and in particular the seedpod of an ancient banyan tree at the centre of the site.

The building form was conceived to suggest organic growth and the dynamic. It gently curves as it moves upwards before bifurcating. This produces an evocative form as well as providing a natural skylit atrium for the hotel lobby at the top of the tower.

Through the residential zone of the tower the floorplate was pulled back at the edges to create internal gardens and allow for natural ventilation to apartments.