As the winning entry for a competition to design an arts and cultural square at Lake Sanyon in Daqing, China, the project by Chi Wai Chan examines the relationships between the elements of the water, the sky and the earth. A waterfront promenade that ensues the formal attributes and fluidity of the water, a 1,394 m long canopy with LED display that transpires the form of the clouds and a ground condition of self-similar marine lifeform that establishes the view corridors to the lake; these three design elements serve as the organizing apparatus for the design of the square. More images and project description after the break.
The architecture of the individual buildings experiments with a contemporary aesthetic attainable through digital means. Tools such as Maya, Rhino and Grasshopper were utilized during the design process. But considerations were also given to achieving a balance between buildability and creativity. The architecture and the aesthetic affects were shaped by the materials and construction methods available, and by considerations of the process and fabrication technologies available in translating a digital model into reality.
Credits: Xinyu Wan on Grasshopper, Geng Ke on presentation drawings and diagrams
