Standing at 700 meters tall, the Shenzhen Hong Kong International Center is slated to be the third tallest building in the world, and will also be China’s tallest building. Designed by Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill for Chinese property developers Shimao Group, the skyscraper will be built between the foothills of Longcheng Park and the Dayun National Park in Shenzhen, China.

The building’s sinewy, organic structure pays a hat tip to the number of sporting venues in its immediate vicinity. The designers claim that the anthropomorphic structure honors the abstract way athletes train to perform in the world-class stadiums directly adjacent to the skyscraper. “The result is a muscular expression in high-performance glass, with textured layers that define the elements of its shaped form.”

The Shenzhen-Hong Kong International Center also plans to house one of the world’s highest observation decks, alongside a restaurant, night club, spa facilities and a swimming pool, while the designers’ master-plan involves the building of a mixed-use district that also houses large retail facilities, apartment towers, a cultural centre, a five-star hotel, a library and multiple offices.

In the evenings, the tower will become “a visual, sound, and light show”, reinforcing the district’s athletic and entertainment purposes. After dusk, the tower will become “a visual, sound, and light show” for the residents of Shenzhen, also highlighting the district’s sports-oriented and entertainment-based outlook. Architecture for the Shenzhen Hong Kong International Center began in March last year, and is slated to be ready for opening in 2024.

Designers: Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture .