Chinese developers are known for mimicking ‘things’ in their architecture. The have made coin-shaped stock exchanges to horse-shoe hotels. In the heart of Wujin, the Chinese have now built a structure that is inspired by the lotus flower-the lotus flower is a symbol of the Chinese culture. The alluring building rests in an artificial lake.
The pink lotus flower shaped building was designed by Melbourne-based studio 505. The structure is described by the firm as ‘intensely sensual and feminine blending of sculptural and biological form’. Since its completion in 2013, the building has been a center of attention in the city. The lotus flower building undergoes three stages of development from a young bud to a mature flower.
Visitors who enter from underwater are greeted with ‘a revelation of space, cathedral-like and immensely uplifting’ and ‘varied white, sand, and stainless steel hexagon mosaic finishes’. The central lobby has escalators, sculptures and walkways. The meeting rooms are designed to provide a ‘futuristic and elegant setting for meetings and debates at the highest levels of government.”
The 8-acre surroundings of the park have been refurbished into a public park. The colors of the tiles have been beautifully chosen to match a real lotus. The mosaic tiles undergo transition from white and beige to deep pink.
To add to the beauty, colored light shines upon the tiles. To give final touches, the building is wrapped in metal ribbed petals. At the center a 23 foot long chandelier is suspended from the ceiling as the stigma of a real lotus would stand.
The building is cooled using 2500 geothermal piles which are driven through the base of the lake. The building is naturally ventilated and utilizes ‘evaporating cooling from the lake surface to drive a thermal chimney within the main flower pod’.
The building is a spectacle worth seeing at night. It features a series of changing natural color combinations-each for 20 seconds and then it transitions to the next set in 10 seconds.
The Lotus Building and People’s Park promise to boost urban development and economic growth. This building also sets a new precedent in the field of architectural designs.
