Contemporary landmark · 2012 · Beijing, China

China Central Television Headquarters

The China Central Television (CCTV) Headquarters is a 234-metre skyscraper in the Guomao CBD of Beijing, completed in 2012. Designed by Rem Koolhaas and Ole Scheeren of OMA, the building consists of two angled towers joined at the top and bottom to form a continuous loop, creating one of the most visually distinctive building forms in twenty-first-century architecture. It serves as the main offices and broadcast facilities of CCTV, China’s state television network.

At a glance

Type: Corporate headquarters / broadcast facility skyscraper
Period: Construction 2004–2012
Style: Deconstructivist / contemporary
Location: Guomao CBD, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China
Architects: Rem Koolhaas and Ole Scheeren (OMA)
Height: 234 m (768 ft), 54 floors
Coordinates: 39.9134° N, 116.4585° E

Overview

The CCTV Headquarters is widely regarded as one of the most structurally and formally innovative skyscrapers of the early twenty-first century. Its looped form, which challenges the conventional tower typology, houses a complete cycle of television-making operations — studios, offices, news production, and broadcast facilities — all integrated within a single continuous structure. The building became an instant symbol of Beijing’s contemporary architectural ambition upon its completion.

History

The project was commissioned in the early 2000s as China prepared for the 2008 Beijing Olympics and sought to transform the capital’s skyline with world-class contemporary architecture. OMA won the international design competition, and construction began in 2004. The two towers and their distinctive cantilevered overhang presented formidable engineering challenges, requiring an innovative steel diagrid structural system. The building was largely completed by 2008 and fully operational by 2012, though the adjacent TVCC tower suffered a serious fire during the 2009 Chinese New Year celebrations.

What you see

The building’s defining feature is its angular loop: two towers, each tilted six degrees from vertical, rise from a shared podium and are linked at the top by a massive L-shaped overhang cantilevering 75 metres in each direction. The exterior is clad in a steel diagrid mesh that is both structural and expressive, making the pattern of forces visually legible on the facade. At night, the building is dramatically illuminated, reinforcing its presence in the Beijing skyline. The ground-level podium contains public-facing spaces and the main entrance lobby.

Cultural significance

The CCTV Headquarters represents a landmark moment in the globalisation of architectural practice and the transformation of Beijing into a city of international cultural ambition. As a state broadcaster’s home, it embodies the intersection of media power and architectural spectacle in contemporary China, and has been widely studied in architectural education for its structural innovation and programmatic organisation.

Practical information

Address: 32 Dongsanhuan Middle Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100020, China
Access: Exterior and lobby area viewable; interior offices not open to the public
Hours: Exterior: accessible at all times; check official website for any public programming

Getting there

The building is located in Beijing’s Guomao CBD and is easily reached by Beijing Subway Line 10, alighting at Jintaixizhao station (exit B). Numerous bus routes also serve the Guomao area. By taxi or ride-hailing app, ask for “CCTV dasha” (CCTV Tower) in Chaoyang District. The area is walkable from the Guomao business district.

Sources & resources

Wikipedia: China Central Television headquarters
Cultural Heritage Online: culturalheritageonline.com