International architecture practice, HWCD has developed a series of mixed-used towers located at Yangtze River Delta. The team of The Nanjing Studio 14 submitted the project as part of a competition to establish an important hub in the center of Nanjing, capital of the Jiangsu province. As a design firm they specialize in urban planning, architecture and interior. Every project undertaken incorporates the local cultures into the design process and has an emphasis on research development. In order to have a firmly rooted cultural and environmental context HWCD architects come from varying international and domestic backgrounds and work together to produce original and exclusive designs under a modern architecture paradigm. The design team drew inspiration from the area, looking at the language of traditional local paintings depicting the landscape, while still working within what is a very modern and expanding metropolis. Nanjing was conceived as a ‘high-tech base of innovation.’The use of a variety of new technologies, such as rainwater harvesting, solar collectors, and geo heat pumps are implemented for environmental protection and energy saving purposes. Studio 14 entry attempts to combine the traditional, natural and modern in a harmonious addition to the skyline, thus far creating a new landmark for the city.The development houses a multitude of uses, office facilities, mall, leisure facilities, sports and public space, as well as a research component. The solution was a series of towers, two ultra-high rise and one high-rise, occupying a base land area of 109,100 square meters, connecting these are indoor and outdoor public space, landscape and vegetated trellises which climb over the towers striking forms. The shape of the towers evokes the traditional mountain paintings; their tapering forms recalling the angular ‘faces’ of the mountains. Around this, systems of landscape, water and circulation flow, inspired by the local hanging gardens often depicted in the local artwork. The towers use a limited palate of materials, predominantly brick and glass curtain walling, the grey-blue brick inspired by the ancient city walls of China and the sense of scale they inspire. Local planting and materials help fully integrate this new development into the area.
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