Located in the outskirts of Nanjing in an area with considerable history and where a lot of development without connection to the surrounding area was taking place, Nanjing Tower sought to create a sleek object that was also connected to elements of Chinese culture. Parametric tools were utilized to design both the Tower and Podium. The ‘skin’ of the podium structure is defined by a prismatic sun shade designed with digital tools to validate the orientation that would allow the north light to enter the space while protecting the other exposures. The complex skin hovers over a more regular building with a central atrium. The result is a balance between simplicity and complexity.