HUIZHOU MASTERPLAN
CHINA, 2011
HUIZHOU MASTERPLAN
CHINA, 2011
Architect:
Pablo Serrano Elorduy
Miguel Ángel Borrás
Marta García-Orte
Joaquim Rigau
Collaborating Architect:
E. Carles Tolra
Construction Company:
–
Surface Area:
410.000 sq m
Project Year:
2011
Rendering:
Play-Time
To start working on the project, we wanted to delve into the foundations of Chinese culture and its visual universe. We studied concepts such as the power of the horizontality of traditional architecture, its temples, textures, and the filters in ancient lattices that controlled privacy. We also explored the flow of energies inherent to feng shui, as well as social themes like the mythological figure of the dragon.
On the other hand, before beginning the design, we also wanted to conduct a thorough analysis of the territory and its climate. We examined the land’s position concerning the main access routes and its connection to the cities of Huizhou and Bolou, along with the environmental issues in the area, such as addressing excessive pollution, utilizing natural energies, rainwater collection, and harnessing wind and solar energy.
Taking all these points into consideration, we began making some bioclimatic decisions that would affect the future floor plan distribution of the complex. The initial program consisted of about 20 residential towers, a shopping center, apartments, and a tower for a hotel and offices.
To promote sunlight exposure in the residences and their exterior green areas, we propose that the heights of the towers vary based on their position, so that the overall complex increases in height from the southern area, where the shorter towers are located, to the northern area and the outer perimeter, where the taller towers are situated. This movement generates a dynamism that reminds us of the dragon’s shape and also crowns the complex, as if it were its head, in the hotel tower, which is the most iconic element of the project.
The typical floor plan of the residential towers is conceived as a rectangle of 21×28 meters, with rounded corners that create a continuous terrace, varying its width organically. This gives us a typology that is adaptable and flexible to the needs of the interior space.
We propose towers that emphasize the horizontality of the flooring, with different types of lattices around their perimeter. This will create a double skin that allows for controlling privacy, protecting against direct solar radiation, and enhancing a greener facade, where plants can be integrated.
STATEGIC ORGANIZATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF THE SPACE
Our first decision was to group the residential towers into two lines, arranged in a staggered formation, creating a double perimeter and leaving a large green space in the center of the lot. Concentrating the green space will enhance CO2 consumption and improve air quality for the users.
The arrangement of the towers at the ground level favors the passage of wind from the north into the interior of the lot and aids in the evaporation of the humid environment. The positioning of the shopping center, hotel, and apartments in the southern area creates an acoustic barrier against the main highway, contributing to a more tranquil atmosphere in the residential and garden areas.
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