Fraternal Twins

Zoomlion is one of China’s leading manufacturers of construction machinery equipment and is ranked top 10 globally in the construction machinery industry. Amphibian Arc was invited to design its new headquarters located in Changsha, China. So far is presented only initial draft, which still to be refined.

Changsha is the capital city of Hunan, in south-central China, located on the lower reaches of Xiang River, a branch of the Yangtze River. Changsha has a large thermal generating station linked by a power grid with the nearby industrial centers of Zhuzhou and Xiangtan. Changsha was an important commercial city, and its population increased greatly. The manufacture of machinery, especially machine tools and precision tools, became important, and Changsha became a center of China’s aluminum industry. The city also has cement, rubber, ceramic, and papermaking plants and is a centre for many types of traditional handicrafts, producing hsiang embroidery, leather goods, umbrellas, and buttons. Coal is mined in the vicinity. Rapid economic growth has made environmental pollution a serious problem in Changsha, caused by rapidly increasing numbers of private cars, widespread construction sites, and numerous industrial facilities on the outskirts of the city.

Dualism
The philosophical concept of dualism is embedded in the nature of Zoomlion. As a machine maker, the characteristics of Zoomlion are masculine, machinery and full of Industrial power. However, the end products produced via Zoomlion machines that will be used by the general public are refined and people-friendly. This duality is intrinsic to Zoomlion’s existence. The architects’ criterion is to match its forward thinking, unique, and mechanistically imaginative corporate image and values. Thus, designed “twin-towers” should manifest a similar pattern of dualism. From the project itself, the office for internal use represents the company, while the hotel for external use is associated with its external image. This characteristic of duality is expressed in two distinct design schemes concepts with two distinct articulations of architectural forms. The twin towers are representing the idea of the dualism.

The office tower which is 199.2 m in height is the symbol of Zoomlion. The geometry of the building is form by massing spin around along with the core of the building. Volume of the spinning massing varies and creates a masculine, machinery look of the tower. There is a bridge that connects two towers to top floors of office tower. Refined and elegant geometry of hotel tower that is 280 m tall is contrast with the rough texture and geometry of the office tower. The image is a vivid simulation of the space shuttle tied up to the launching pad of space center. This image emphasizes the industrial strength of Zoomlion product. The forms reference the furthest stretches of mankind, deep sea oil rigs penetrating the lowest levels of the ocean and space stations, reaching above the sky.

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Materials provided by Amphibian Arc