Reconnecting architecture with nature

I love expressive architecture, and this week a new building caught my eye – the rather remarkable Sun Tower in Yantai, northeast China. 

It’s a graceful 50-metre-tall concrete cone that’s actually far more charming than that description might suggest.

Open Architecture have created something rather special – a cultural centre, housing everything from exhibition spaces and a theatre to a library and viewing deck, café and bar.

What’s particularly clever is how they’ve drawn inspiration from sundials and lighthouses and transformed them into something thoroughly modern. Essentially two concrete shells with horizontal slabs and ramps, the building is sea-facing side and elegantly opened up to offer beautiful ocean views.

The real magic, though, lies in its relationship with the sun. The building has been carefully positioned to align with various solar events. The outdoor plaza continues this celestial theme with elegant patterns that interact with the building’s shadows throughout the year.

At the top, they’ve created something really quite wonderful – a space where rainwater creates an ever-changing natural water feature.

It’s a brilliant example of how architecture can help us reconnect with nature in the most imaginative, thoughtful and beautiful ways.

Bryan