Zhuhai Observation Tower
The time-honored etiquette of ingenuity is, after all, an embodiment of planning-one where the excitement of possibilities stands unscathed. That’s the beauty of it. Sensitivity towards this domain of perception varies among masses. Contraptions of such genre, inaugurated by these magicians, accomplish the most mundane feats and WVA Architects’ proposed landmark promises the same.
In July 2014, Zhuhai Doumen Observation Tower Competition recognized WVA’s “Zhuhai JIANFENG Bridge East Square Landscape Tower”, as the third best proposal for the furtherance of cultural identity and cultural connectivity at the developing waterfront of Zhuhai, China. Careful contextual analysis was undertaken by WVA Architects, as a part of the preliminary process.
Courtesy of WVA Architects
Zhuhai Observation Tower is located at the junction of two rivers, hence, forming an intersection of neighborhoods. The tower mirrors, in its form, the beauty of Jianfeng Mountain across the river. The basic existence of the form is the architectural manifestation of the three roads or the three rivers that greet the mountain. The central, vertical element of the tower, is the culmination of the unity of three elements at the ground level, two of which would be bridges connecting a nearby island and neighborhood. The Tower can rightfully be claimed as a contemporary take on the Chinese Mountain and Water Painting, with a series of potted platforms and a patterned metal facade employed for the purpose of imitating natural habitat.
An economical lightweight tubular truss and steel cross bracing structure form the basis of the tower. The designers have incorporated a mechanically programmed louver system, to control the visibility of the platform which offers a 180° panoramic view, at the top of the Observation Tower.
Courtesy of WVA Architects
Architects: WVA Architects
Architect in Charge, Project Manager: Jean Hubert Chow
Client: Zhuhai Huafa Group
Area: 2385.0 sqm
Project Year: 2014
By: Aleeshba Saigol
