New luxury landmark in Hangzhou is inspired by the moon
New luxury landmark in Hangzhou is inspired by the moon
A mixed-use development will represent the moonlit waters of the mighty Qiantang
A new development that will take inspiration from the moon and the Qiantang River is set to cause ripples in the skyline of Hangzhou.
Toronto-based firm B+H, the architects behind the Ritz-Carlton and the Microsoft Zizhu campus in Shanghai, are helming a high-end, mixed-use building in the Chinese city’s new central business district, Qianjiang New Town. Named ‘In Hangzhou,’ the building will feature a unique two-tower shape, consisting of “variations of the basic rectangle,” that converges together at the top.
Among the building’s most conspicuous features are serrations along its edges: a three-dimensional embodiment of moonlight playing off the Qiantang waters.
In Hangzhou is “purposefully intended to stand out from its immediate surroundings,” executive vice-president of B+H Asia David Stavros told Jing Daily.
“In its purest form, In Hangzhou plays homage to the moon and the role it plays in the creation of the much-celebrated annual tide at Qiantang River,” Stavros said. “Its purpose is to offer a bold statement in a new city that captures the gaze of those across the river in Hangzhou and echoes the lunar calendar.”
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The development comes as Hangzhou prepares to host the G20 summit next month. Upon completion, In Hangzhou will have a boutique hotel in its upper levels and offer a residential complex and shopping mall.
In Hangzhou is the latest in a long line of works by B+H in China, which include Hangzhou’s very own Xiaoshan International Airport. One of the first foreign architecture firms to have a base in mainland China, B+H has designed 21 million square metres of constructed work in the country.
“Despite the variety of forms and sectors, all of B+H’s work in China flows from the same themes: marrying innovative design with local context and culture while delivering the highest standards of building performance and sustainability,” Stavros said.
Other designs have not been as lucky. Earlier this year, China’s State Council announced that it would forbid “bizarre architecture that is not economical, functional, aesthetically pleasing or environmentally friendly.”
“Certainly the trend that has gotten the most attention is this move away from what some have referred to as ‘weird architecture,’” said Stavros. “But the trends that we have come across more readily involve a heightened awareness around building performance and sustainability and the impact buildings have on the local context and our day-to-day live/work activities.”
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Source: Property Report