The Chinese Real Estate Design Forum was held in Shenzhen. Aedas Global Design Principal Dr Andy Wen was invited to deliver a keynote speech and share on his design philosophy.
“At a time of economy upsurge, more isolated, rigid and tasteless commercial buildings are dominating the urban landscape to only to kill the identities of cities. Architectural design can do better than that.” Under his philosophy of “Inno-culturiage” – innovate while preserving local culture and heritage, Dr Andy Wen advocates for designers to bring out the soul of architectures and allow them to talk to the cities they’re in. He believes that good designs for commercial buildings shall be echoing with the brand image and corporate culture while interacting with local history and culture. It’s also vital to create amiable working and public spaces with openness and integration to the cities at a proper scale.
Dr Andy Wen elaborated his theory with various projects as examples. The G-mond International Building, standing at the heart of Luohu District, Shenzhen, is an urban regeneration project. It accommodates the headquarter of G-mond group, rentable Grade-A office spaces in the tower and a jewellery trading centre at the podium. The design is derived from the shape of bamboos, one of the most important motif in the Chinese culture. With an upright form to imply vigorous growth and integrity in the corporate culture, the tower rises with three blocks stacking up to simulate the bamboo stems and sky gardens are set in between as bamboo joints. The retail podium includes an outdoor landscaped staircase, a public platform and a rooftop garden, reserving generous green spaces for users and visitors to relax and interact. The development conducts a symphony of the inner space and its urban context, the building environment and nature.
Inspired by “bamboo shoots after the rain”, National Trade Centre is designed to celebrate its regional and cultural attributes. Bamboo shoot is a Taichung specialty representing thriving and booming in Chinese culture. The building mass is oval shaped, replicating the silhouette of a bamboo shoot and allowing natural light to penetrate through the building. Vertical greeneries on the sides and rooftop effectively improve the energy efficiency of the building. Balconies on north and east sides provide pleasant views towards the city and creating a corner of relaxing ambience in the busy work place.
Huayuan Yunxi in Changsha is another classic culture-oriented complex with retail, office, residential and exhibition components. The design draws its rugged form from the natural wonders of the region to express a heroic and charismatic spirit of the local residents. The two towers are shaped by staggering and twisted blocks to maximize views from each side of the building, while uneven setbacks on each storey and podium rooftop gardens creates multiple viewing platforms as dynamic communal spaces for users and the mass public.
