Nature-inspired architectural marvel

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Headline: Nature-inspired architectural marvel shaped by sunlight: a fusion of engineering prowess, culture, and coastal living.

So What: The Sun Tower project in Yantai, China, at the Shandong peninsula's northern tip, transcends a basic architectural design and engineering brief, aiming to create a unique cultural landmark that fosters better living for the rapidly growing population, which has more than doubled from 1.2 million in 2000 to 2.8 million today. Yantai, 烟台 (yān tái) in Chinese, which translates literally into “smoke tower,” is better known locally as a beacon city from its Ming Dynasty-era watchtowers built to warn against foreign invaders from the Yellow Sea. Today, the city serves as a bustling logistics hub connecting the Beijing-Tianjin Economic Circle and Yangtze River Delta. It is also a gateway city to Japan and South Korea, frequented by both domestic and foreign tourists. Beyond aesthetics, the Sun Tower project’s design goal was twofold: reconnect people with nature amidst urban chaos and infuse cultural vibrancy into an urban setting marked by rapid development. As engineers, the project inspires a focus on simplicity to transcend structural performance goals and integrate building designs more holistically into surrounding environments.

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Under the Surface: Designed by OPEN Architecture with structural and MEP engineering collaboration from Arup, the Sun Tower is shaped by sunlight. The curvilinear structure is a testament to the wonders of nature, both in appearance and engineering design. Just as nature is a perfect balance of simplicity and wonder, the Sun Tower’s structure is a simple composite shell, — “two layers of slanted white concrete shells are connected and braced by horizontal slabs and ramps,” — but the visual result insights a feeling of awe.

The building captures and frames the movements of the sun, offering views of sunrise and sunset over the sea and sunsets over the city. Comprising a semi-outdoor theater, exhibition space, and library / phenomena space (a place to sit in awe of nature), it serves as both an observation tower and a cultural hub. The composite shell structure was designed to absorb sea sounds, providing a space for contemplation and exploration of natural phenomena.

From OPEN Architecture:

• “Facing the ocean, the concave inner shell of the Sun Tower acts as a sound collector, absorbing and amplifying the sounds from the sea.”

• “The smaller upside-down upper shell houses the light-filled library and the ‘phenomena space’ with a breathtaking view of the [Yellow Sea] and the sky above.”

• “An oculus in the center of the phenomena space’s ceiling allows rainwater to enter and fill a small pool underneath in the summer. In the winter, the pool will be dry and used as a fireplace.”

Sun Tower topped out in June 2023 and is expected to open to the public this year.

Net, Net: Sun Tower is not merely an architectural marvel built on simple engineering concepts but a thoughtful, awe-inspiring integration of ancient wisdom within contemporary urban life. As a lighthouse of culture and calm, it encourages people to experience the beauty of nature, contemplate time, and unravel the mysteries of the universe, all amidst bustling daily life.

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