~ f l o wThe site reveals itself as sterile, ascetic: like a circuit board with no program. These plug-in
tower modules act as capacitors to focus and modulate the flow of otherwise
dispersed intellectual energy generated by the blocks of IT labs. The flowing river-like wave connects these plugs to one another. Clad in
iridescent blue lapis tile, it is reminiscent of a river, a typhoon, a snake. It contains a network of heavily
shaded spaces: lecture halls and business centers, all
framed under flows of cooling cycled rainwater. The unprogrammed ground
plane will evolve to include hawkers, food outlets,
jugglers and all that in organic formations. Three plug-in modules dip
into the "wave" flowing through the matrix of transistor-like buildings
on the site. Their extruded mullions act
both as deep louvers and radiant emitters siphoning heat away as the elements of a stove. The first module is
the condenser of IT functions. Business incubation centers are gathered
around a circular, non-linear, non-hierarchical shape to encourage
collaboration and cross-pollination of ideas. Service
apartments are in the second module. Offices
are just underneath the "wave" level, adjacent meeting conference and support rooms. and convention
hall. The tallest module
is the hotel, with a research institute at its intersection with the "flow-wave,"
strategically located to absorb and
synthesize potent energies of commerce, work and play.~
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