Soaring Fish of the Pearl Sea
In Doumen district of Zhuhai, Guangdong, P.R. China, as a part of Doumen´s new riverfront improvement project, should be realized a project of a new landmark tower, which planned to be located at the intersection of two rivers in the center of the new promenade development.
The competition for this new observation tower recently won RMJM Shenzhen. Perched at the confluence of two rivers, the Doumen Observation Tower will rise from the waterfront of Zhuhai, and is inspired by the form of a fish soaring above the water, clad in aluminum scales to protect from the hot Chinese sun.
The city of Zhuhai is located in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong, where the Pearl River flows into the Yellow Sea. The city’s name literally translates from Chinese as “Pearl Sea”. Zhuhai boasts a superb tropical climate and takes pride its status as a garden city: it comprises about 146 islands, many of which are remarkably picturesque.
The Observation Tower covered with aluminum flakes for protection from sun and amplifying the association with fish scales is to become an iconic landmark for the local environment. This symbolic huge “springer fish” is not a single symbol of the city – on the coastal rocks is placed a sculpture of a girl holding a gem – “Fisherwoman”.
The design is inspired by the unique traditional water culture of the riverside district of Doumen. The movement of the water and the fish can be seen as origin of the initial idea. The dynamic pattern of movement in relation to water should symbolize the culture and rapid transformation of the city.
Such symbolism can often be seen as more important to architectural projects in China compared to, say, the US, where it can often seem an afterthought. This is highlighted by projects like the Guangzhou Circle Mansion and Phoenix Towers, which draw upon Feng Shui, and the traditional Chinese Phoenix, respectively.
The tower will occupy a minimal footprint and will be surrounded by a large public plaza. For the integration of the tower in the urban context, the proposal avoids taking too much space of the plaza area, and leaves it for landscape elements and recreational activities for the people. Moreover there will be cafes and restaurants on the ground floor of the tower-podium to activate the plaza square.
According to the project, Doumen Observation Tower will have a height of 88 m. The floor area is about 2000 m2 in total with the service facilities. The tower itself is divided into three parts: the podium, the body and the observation facilities on the top. The podium will contain a lobby for the elevator entrance, different restaurants and cafes and small shops. The body of the tower is designed to be the experience part with different types of platforms, such as the recreational platform or the media platform. A staircase connects the podium with the observation facility and is attached on the outer side of the core.
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Materials provided by RMJM