Surrounded by the greenery of Beijing's Olympic Park, Asian Financial Center, the permanent home for the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is to be in service soon after three years of construction.

"The building covers an area of 390,000 square meters and is composed of five office buildings. It is 16 floors high, and there are three underground [floors]. The AIIB headquarters has a building area of 80,000 square meters above the ground," said Li Shan, managing director of the Planning and Design Center at Beijing Investment Group.

When taking a close look at the architecture, one may observe some local elements such as a Chinese knot, which symbolizes China's tight connection to the world.

The building's sustainable design aims at promoting greener and cleaner living. Li noted that "it's in accordance with the requirements of the AIIB, which are simplification, integrity and green. With exquisite construction technology, we have achieved the perfect integration of traditional Chinese cultural elements, energy-saving technology and modern technology."

The AIIB is a multilateral development bank with a mission to improve social and economic outcomes in Asia. Headquartered in Beijing, the bank began operating in January 2016 and has now grown to 100 approved members worldwide. So far, it has given the green light to 50 projects, with an overall investment of about 9.6 billion U.S. dollars. 

AIIB's President Jin Liqun has elaborated the bank's ambitions. "We have tried our very best to invest in infrastructure projects, particularly transport, energy, urban development, water supply, sanitation and renewable energy projects, you know, to promote a green economy." 

Jin said the majority of AIIB staff will move to their new home next March. The bank's annual meeting for 2020 is expected to be held there. 

"The management and the board are working together to put in place a series of policies and strategies making sure the bank would be run by very high standards. It's now the time for us to go to the market and to set up our presence," the president added.

The AIIB won't be alone in the massive Asian Financial Center, of course. Some of the big transnational companies will also have a presence there. It is hoped that there will soon become a highly influential global financial center.