Suzhou Zhongnan Center, Skyscraper in Suzhou Industrial Park, China
Suzhou Zhongnan Center is a stalled skyscraper in Suzhou Industrial Park, planned to rise 499.2 metres. Its light blue-green glass facade is divided by thin vertical lines and tapers to a sharp point, with a small darker segment just below the spire. The lower section widens into a flat rectangular base above a broader podium.
The tower was first proposed in 2011 at 729 metres with 137 floors, and construction began in 2014 before halting in 2015. After China banned buildings over 500 metres, a redesigned 499.2-metre version was revealed in 2019 and building started in 2020. Work stopped again in mid-2022 when the owner, Zhongnan, ran into financial difficulties, and the tower remains incomplete as of 2026.
The building merges contemporary design with references to Suzhou's traditional construction methods. Its facade displays patterns that echo local craftsmanship and connect the structure to the city's architectural identity.
The site lies in Suzhou Industrial Park, west of Jinji Lake, and is to be served by Line 1 of the Suzhou Metro at Dongfangzhimen station. Work stopped in mid-2022 when the structure had only reached ground level, so there is no completed building to enter and no viewing point for visitors.
The 93 elevators belonged to the abandoned 729-metre, 137-floor design proposed in 2011, not to the current tower. That earlier scheme, halted in 2015, would have ranked as the world's second tallest building. The redesigned 499.2-metre version was revealed in 2019, began construction in 2020 and stopped in mid-2022 at ground level.
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