The design takes on the challenge of exploring the transition of space, time and era, creating a hub of knowledge and union to bring and drive people together. The tallest tower on the site rises out of the ground to stand at a proud pinnacle point creating a image of a swirling scroll representing the wisdom of the olden days whereas the lower block stretches out of the ground and stand as a stacked book representing the knowledge of the modern times. Each of the two part are interconnected by a striving form that reaches out to bring the two moments together creating a evolutional space that is felt at the ground and upper levels.
The design rises out of the ground from the north part of the site, connecting the ROOTS of the building to the ground, resembling the connection of old and new, and steer towards the water creating a pull that draws the people into the site, engaging with the building and public spaces. The landscape is pulled out of the ground along with the form to create a series of stepped green platforms that become roof garden and terraces for both the visitors and the residents. An interlocking form reaches out of the hotel component to link the two platforms together at high level creating a harmonious public plaza at the lower levels, inviting people to engage with the surroundings.
The spiraling tower, swerves out of the sloping ground to create a guarded area for protecting the soft space of the development against the hard urban edge whilst the long fabric of the tower skin stretches out to the pinnacle to create the form of the Chinese scroll. As the building staggers along the spiral of the scroll, stepped terraces and balconies are created within the building, angled towards the river, to give the best maximum views to the surrounding. At the lower roof level of the tower, a communal garden overlooks the entire city whilst celebrated at the ‘TORCH OF THE CITY’.
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