After an international design competition, RMJM Shanghai was selected to design the Xiangjiang Gate in Hengyang, China. The project will be built at the confluence of the Xiang, Zheng, and Lishui rivers.
The mixed-use project will serve as a tourist information center and a monument with a panoramic viewing platform. The goal of the design was to step away from the traditional vision of a gate and move toward a more contemporary depiction.
See Also: Snøhetta’s 550 Madison Garden gains approval from NYC Planning Commission
The 580-foot-tall tower’s design is also deeply rooted in the history of the city. From above, the central, twisting towers look like a narrow stream of water passing through two pieces of land, paying tribute to the geographical location of the city and to its “convergent spirit.” When viewed upside down, the building resembles a goose flying through the sky, an homage to ancient Chinese poetry that described Hengyang as a winter refuge for wild geese, earning the city the nickname “Wild Goose City.”
Hengyang is Hunan’s second largest city and has a fast-evolving tech hub. As such, the structural system of the Gate will reflect the highest level of contemporary structural engineering technology. The design embraces the local environment and forms an interaction between technology, climate, building materials, and human behavior. The glass curtain wall will use LED technology to illuminate it at night. The facade will also be used as a “window to the Xiangjiang culture,” radiating the lights, colors, and shadows of the seasons.
Related Stories
Mixed-Use | Sep 30, 2021
The Laurel Rittenhouse Square is set to be Philadelphia’s tallest residential tower
Solomon Cordwell Buenz designed the project.
Glass and Glazing | Sep 30, 2021
Plans move forward on Central Place Sydney, duel towers with an AI-driven façade system
SOM and Fender Katsalidis are designing the project.
Mixed-Use | Sep 28, 2021
BIG designs new Farfetch HQ on the slopes of Leça River in Porto
The project is situated within the larger Fuse Valley site.
Mixed-Use | Aug 19, 2021
COVID-conscious, pandemic-ready skyscraper breaks ground in Miami
The project will be part of Miami Worldcenter.
Mixed-Use | Aug 4, 2021
Diamond Schmitt to lead design for Therme Canada | Ontario Place redevelopment
The project will be a year-round waterfront destination.
Mixed-Use | Aug 2, 2021
AT&T Discovery District is Dallas’ newest mixed-use destination
Gensler designed the project.
Mixed-Use | Jul 16, 2021
SOM to lead the design of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympic Village
The project is part of the updated Porta Romana railway yard master plan.
Multifamily Housing | Jul 15, 2021
Greystar’s The Pullman is a new mixed-use apartment community in Denver
The Mulhern Group designed the project.
Mixed-Use | Jun 30, 2021
Design details released about new development in Seattle’s vibrant Belltown district
Connecting the building, called Archetype, to the street, neighborhood, and bay is a key imperative.
Mixed-Use | Jun 21, 2021
Design team of Gensler and Manning selected to design The River District
The mixed-use neighborhood will be built along the Mississippi River in New Orleans.