Panda Tower / UDG. Atelier Alpha

Panda Tower / UDG. Atelier Alpha - Exterior PhotographyPanda Tower / UDG. Atelier Alpha - Interior PhotographyPanda Tower / UDG. Atelier Alpha - Exterior PhotographyPanda Tower / UDG. Atelier Alpha - Interior PhotographyPanda Tower / UDG. Atelier Alpha - More Images+ 53

  • Design Team: Qijing Wu, Yunqi Lei, Yi Zheng, Nan Zhang, Xinyu Tan, Kai Xin, Guodong Lu, Yangzhou Lu, Chentian Liu, Shupei Shi, Shangshang Cao, Jiaqi Zhang
  • Competition Design Team: Zi Zheng, Lie Qian, Yunqi Lei, Yi Zheng, Guodong Lu, Shupei Shi
  • Construction Drawing: CDAD, Fei Xu, Rui Yu, Luyao Duan, Zhiqian Lv, Peng Ye, Xin Du, Yuwei Peng, Yuan Qiang, Keyi Yu, Hechuan Li, Jianjun Sun
  • Programming: Erqing Fang
  • Client: Tianfu Greenway, Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding
  • Curtain Wall Consultant: Inhabit
  • City: Chengdu
  • Country: China
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Panda Tower / UDG. Atelier Alpha - Exterior Photography
exterior. Image © SIMON

Text description provided by the architects. The Panda Tower is designed by UDG Atelier Alpha for the new campus of the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. It is a new cultural landmark that combines observation, exhibition, and sightseeing. In addition, it is a work of practice that celebrates the combination of nature and technology.

Panda Tower / UDG. Atelier Alpha - Exterior Photography, Cityscape
tower in the landscape. Image © Arch-Exist
Panda Tower / UDG. Atelier Alpha - Exterior Photography
night view. Image © Arch-Exist

The inspiration for the Panda Tower comes from bamboo shoots. Widely distributed in the Sichuan-Chongqing region, not only are the bamboo shoots the favorite food of the Giant Panda, but they are also considered one of the most popular food ingredients in Sichuan cuisine.

Panda Tower / UDG. Atelier Alpha - Exterior Photography
outdoor stairs. Image © Arch-Exist

The main structure of the tower has 11 stories. There is a spacious viewing platform looking towards the central viewing area of the conservation park on each story. Without curtain walls nor gratings, the floor slabs and the buttresses are honestly exposed.

Panda Tower / UDG. Atelier Alpha - Interior Photography
aerial view. Image © SIMON

The main body of the tower is composed of floor slabs and arced structure units. The inspiration is the pedals of the hibiscus flower, the city flower of Chengdu. The number of pedal slabs decreases in an arithmetic progression from the bottom of the tower to the top. Viewed from the central courtyard, the space demonstrated the beauty of mathematics.

Panda Tower / UDG. Atelier Alpha - Interior Photography
atrium. Image © SIMON
Panda Tower / UDG. Atelier Alpha - Interior Photography, Facade
atrium. Image © Arch-Exist

The top of the curtain wall system of the Panda Tower has a mechanical system that opens the façade units according to programmed angles and speed on special days, such as the birth of new Giant Panda babies, the return of Giant Panda from oversea facilities, and important holidays and festivals. The opening of the façade resembles the sprouting of a bamboo shoot. The interaction with the visitors is eco-friendly and uses clean energy.

Panda Tower / UDG. Atelier Alpha - Interior Photography
open mode. Image © SIMON

The Pada Tower is completely program-controlled. All the architectural elements are correlated through the constraints in the grasshopper definition. The geometric constraints define the space, the mechanical constraints limit the structural components, and the dynamics control the retractable device. This rigorous system of mathematical constraints is the most important design gene of the project, as well as the base of aesthetics of the resulted space.

Panda Tower / UDG. Atelier Alpha - Exterior Photography
night view. Image © SIMON

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Project location

Address:Chengdu, China

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Location to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.
About this office
Cite: "Panda Tower / UDG. Atelier Alpha" 08 Apr 2022. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/979774/panda-tower-udg-atelier-alpha> ISSN 0719-8884

exterior. Image © SIMON

成都熊猫基地熊猫塔,机械‘竹笋’ / UDG.零号工作室

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