While China grabbed worldwide headlines in 2013 for megaprojects such as the Shanghai Tower, not all the news is about bigger buildings. A mere 30-storey tower in Xiamen has taken home a Luban Prize, the country’s top award for design and construction, for its curvy planning of the Huijin International Center.
The sinuous 52,000-square-meter tower was designed by US-based architecture firm, Leo A Daly to reflect the mission of the building’s owner, clothing retailer Septwolves. The center’s curves are designed to resemble fabric draped on the human figure, and the sinuous bands that form the lobby’s ceiling are inspired by traditional Chinese linens rippling in the nearby South China Sea breeze.
The new structure will serve as corporate headquarters for the publicly listed Septwolves, which has more than 4000 retail outlets across China.
The Luban Award was presented by China’s Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, along with the China Construction Industry Association.
In a statement from the company, Stephen Wright, managing principal of Leo A Daly in Washington, DC said, “Winning the award puts Huijin International Center in the company of high-profile projects such as Beijing’s Capital Airport Terminal 3 and the Beijing National Stadium known as The Bird’s Nest.”
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- Photo of the Center’s exterior
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- Photo of an interior hallway
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- Artist’s conception of the Center’s atrium
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- 3D mockup of a lounge area
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- Artist’s conception of the Center at night
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- Artist’s conception of the building exterior
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- The Center along the Xiamen shore
The project is the first LEED Gold, (BD+C) Core and Shell v2009 project to be certified by the US Green Building Council in Fujian Province.
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