Architecture

CNOOC's new global headquarters

Posted by Jeremy Goldkorn, July 18, 2006 7:17 PM

CNOOC building's shape "recalls an oil tankers bow"

In the summer of 2005, CNOOC (China National Offshore Oil Company 中国海洋石油总公司) attained global fame after trying to acquire American energy company UNOCAL, an attempt that was blocked after by a China-panicked US House of Representives that voted 333 vs. 92 against the deal.

The move resulted in UNOCAL being acquired by Chevron for about US$16 billion, less than the US$ 18.5 billion that CNOOC had offered.

The failed takeover bid has done nothing to dampen CNOOC's ambitions. On January 10 2006, CNOOC
signed an agreement with SAPETRO to acquire a 45% stake in Offshore Oil-Mining License (OML) 130 in Nigeria for more than US$2 billion in cash.

On June 30, CNOOC invested RMB 1.7 billion (US$ .02 billion) to build the Asia's largest offshore oil equipment production facility in Qingdao. On July 17, CNOOC announced a plan to start buying up and operating consumer filling stations in Guangzhou, a move seen with some hostility by SINOPEC, the other state-owned energy giant that operates most filling stations nationwide.

With all this activity, CNOOC needed a new global headquarters: the company has just started moving into their new building just inside the Second Ring Road at Chaoyangmen in Beijing (pictured in both images).

Designed by American architectural firm KPF (Kohn Pederson Fox Architects), the firm behind the design of the Shanghai World Financial Center in Shanghai, the Rodin Museum in Seoul, and also the Architect-of-Record for the latest expansion of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City.

According to KPF's website, the new CNOOC building's form is intended to evoke "images of offshore oil production: the prow-like shape recalls an oil tanker’s bow and the tower elevated, above the ground on piloti, suggests an offshore oil derrick".

Links and Sources

Photos and research by Banyue
Homepage of architecural firm: KPF
CNOOC Chinese home page, CNOOC English home page
Danwei: CNOOC offers $20 billion for Unocal, White House to review CNOOC bid for Unocal, CNOOC gives up on Unocal, Politics and the CNOOC-Unocal debacle: assigning blame
Asia Times Online: Curses! Oiled Again (CNOOC in NIgeria)
People's Daily: CNOOC Ltd acquires 45 pct stake in offshore Nigerian oil block
Oil China (Chinese): CNOOC starts monopoly busting plan to acquire filling stations

There are currently 4 Comments for CNOOC's new global headquarters.

<< Asia, Africa and Latin America Unite | Controversy over Chinese textbook revisions >>

Comments on CNOOC's new global headquarters

I can see that building from my window and I didn't know what it was... Thanks once more, Mr CuernodeOro!

By the way, the shape of the building makes it so difficult for the glass cleaners... I saw them once and they really have a headache!

Posted by: ChinoChano | July 19, 2006 4:03 PM

I find the shape of the new CNOOC headquarters much more suggestive of a colossal 马桶 than an oil tanker. And from the Kohler ad right across the street, I may not be the only one who feels that way.

Still, tip of the hat to KPF. If people can't argue about what it means, then it probably isn't art.

Posted by: Will | July 20, 2006 9:44 AM

this is a very cool looking building and nice to see mroe and more of this type of design in beijing. if you are in the cnooc area, take a walk down nearby chaoyang bei xiao jie (i think) on the way to jinbao jie. there is a new building just being finished whose outer shell gives the impression that the building is falling down. don't know if this is good feng shui but is a nice looking building nonetheless, and a break from the standard office buildings in the area.

Posted by: m | July 20, 2006 10:24 AM

For me the CNOOC building is one of the architectual highlights in Beijing. It really sets itself apart from the boring boxes that crop up everywhere.
I just wondered if the KPF planned the ugly red neon sign on the building as well, or if someone in management found that the white CNOOC tag on the top of the facade was not big enough.

Posted by: cognito | July 20, 2006 2:25 PM