Beijing Television Cultural Center

Television Cultural Center
中央电视台电视文化中心
The building before the 2009 fire
General information
Status	Completed
Location	Beijing
Coordinates	39°54′56″N 116°27′28″E
Construction started	2004
Completed	2009
Opening	16 May 2012
Owner	China Central Television (CCTV)
Height
Roof	159 m (522 ft)
Technical details
Floor count	34
Design and construction
Architect(s)	Rem Koolhaas and Ole Scheeren

The Television Cultural Center (TVCC; Chinese: 中央电视台电视文化中心) is a 34-story skyscraper on East Third Ring Road, Guanghua Road in the Central Business District (CBD) of Beijing, China. It was due to open in mid-May 2009 containing a hotel, a theater, and several studios. It finally opened on 16 May 2012 due to a major fire.

Planning

The Office for Metropolitan Architecture won the contract from the Beijing International Tendering Co. to construct the CCTV Headquarters and the Television Cultural Center by its side on December 20, 2002. It accommodates visitors and guests, and will be freely accessible to the public. On the ground floor, a continuous lobby provides access to the 1500-seat theater, a large ballroom, digital cinemas, recording studios and exhibition facilities. The cultural complex was designed with the cooperation of dUCKS scéno for the scenography and theater consultancy. and of DHV for the acoustics studies. The building hosted the international broadcasting center for the 2008 Olympic Games. Nowadays, the tower accommodates a five-star hotel; guests enter at a dedicated drop-off from the east of the building and ascend to the fifth floor housing the check-in as well as restaurants, lounges, and conference rooms. The hotel rooms occupy both sides of the tower, forming a spectacular atrium above the landscape of public facilities.

2009 fire

Main article: Beijing Television Cultural Center fire

The TVCC building in flames

On February 2, 2009, the TVCC building caught fire due to a fireworks celebration by CCTV during the Lantern Festival, celebrating the New Year. The fire damaged the nearly complete building, delaying its opening until 2012.

See also

• List of tallest buildings in Beijing

Media buildings in Beijing

• China Media Group Headquarters
• Central Radio & TV Tower
• CCTV Headquarters
• Beijing TV Centre
• Phoenix Center

External links

• CCTV Project Site
• Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) Project Site
• China Central Television (CCTV) Headquarters Building & Cultural Center, Beijing project for the engineering firm ARUP