Huaxi Urban Centre Tower, a conceptual tower design by Tom Wiscombe of EMERGENT, explores the idea of merging mechanical systems with other building functions to produce hierarchies and “synergetic forms”. The form produced is characterized by a soft transluscency that is highlighted by various exterior lighting effects. These lighted tubes that appear to be running vertically throughout the entire structure not only function for as a specular effect, but also house various types of ductwork. The idea was to move away from the standard central core and allow it to merge with exterior functions located on the pleats of the building. 
The already complex exterior form becomes complemented with its performative skin mentioned above. A second layer of loose-fitting skinmade of perforated sheet metal is applied on top of the glass duct-skin and acts almost similar to a one-way mirror where it shades the interior during the day while allowing views from the inside. EMERGENT addresses the issues of structure, tectonics, and materiality in their Huaxi Urban Centre Tower by exploring the potential for a pleated, performative soft skin that functions both aesthetically and economically. Possibly derived from biological thinking, EMERGENT shows off its way of creating an animated beauty that point to a range of real architectural potentials where components are always linked and always exchanging information, and above all, where architectural wholes exceed the sum of their parts.
By Lyly Huyen
