One of the most interesting trends in architectural materials of recent years is the increase in use of weathering steel - more commonly referred to by its trademark name, Cor-Ten. Thought the material has been around for decades, first being used for architectural purposes in the Eero Saarinen-designed John Deere Headquarters in 1964, the material has seen a surge in popularity in the last decade or so, being used in everything from individual houses and tiny kiosks, to SHoP's design for the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, which used a staggering 12,000 weathering steel panels.
‘Calling of the Sea’, the proposal for the exhibition hall for Yantai Development Zone Blueprint by Origin Architect, will be not only a space to exhibit the blueprint of Yantai City, but also present an attitude itself and the possible future of the coastal city, as well as the visions experienced directly. The starting point for the entire design derives from cherishing and respect to unique land conditions. It makes an attempt for common development and symbiotic relationship of urban architectures and nature, protect and develop natural resources, and restore hangovers from the past. In the end, it can make the city’s single coastal environment thriving. More images and architects’ description after the break.