Editors’ Choice
2019 Skyscraper Competition
Zhou Yun, Zhao Wenxin, Kong Jining, Wang Xiaojing, Dong Junfeng
China
At first, cities and nature were distributed horizontally, but the small scale of cities ensured the contact between people and nature. Gradually, due to the expansion of the city, the city and nature became more and more distant, almost showing a state of separation. Only a small part of people on the edge of the urban areas can enjoy the natural environment. Therefore, we want to build a High-rise architecture to seek an ideal model for the harmonious coexistence of city and nature. In this model, people will not only enjoy the convenience of city life in architecture but also get the intimacy and comfort of nature.
We redefined the horizontal distance between the city building and nature, then changed it into the vertical distance to shorten the distance between city life and nature. Our initial idea was to extract the skyline of the city and attach a mountainous “natural shell” that matched the skyline, so as to minimize the distance between the city buildings and nature. However, such ideal conditions cannot meet the needs of lighting and ventilation that architectures need and cannot be realized. Then we re-examine this issue from the perspective of “handstand”.
On the premise of not affecting the function and space use of the architecture, we construct a high-rise architecture in the form of city and turn it upside down to form a life cycle and let the city grow in nature, which can not only meet the needs of lighting and ventilation but also achieve the symbiosis of people, architecture and nature. Based on our idea of turning the city upside down, we try to conceive a model that could achieve a friendly symbiosis between architecture and nature by considering the function of architecture, the growth law of nature and people’s activities. And then we introduce a concept called “whole life cycle”, which emphasizes the growth mode between architecture, nature, and human — a process of germination, development, prosperity, retreat, death, and regeneration. We take one hundred years as a complete life cycle.
To begin with, the buildings have merely a foundation, space enclose between the building and the surrounding is highlighted, it is a symbolic space for a free and ambitious childhood. Gradually, buildings cover-up, trees lush, people mature, the function become richer, modules also begin rapid growth. Then comes the integration of nature and building, trees grow through the gap, gradually shade buildings, which correspond to a kind of spiritual space for old age. Finally, People live here will die, but more and more buildings are under construction of future generations. At last, nature thrives in prosperity, architecture and man’s life cycle blend mutually, constitutes the whole life cycle. In this way can we construct a high rise building that can totally correspond and coexist with its surroundings and more preciously, this high rise building can go into evolution and resonate with people, providing them with space of different feelings at different times.
