There have been innovative and new designs in architecture and engineering lately that have left people in awe. These designs seem to stand tall against the principles of science that we know of. One of such designs is an incredible creation from MAD Architects, led by Ma Yansong, in collaboration with the China Academy of Building Research (CASR). Together these organizations have won an international competition for the design of the Cuntan International Cruise Centre in Chongqing, China, and its execution is a sight to behold.
The fascinating elements of this masterpiece start with its size. It’s a 66,000 216,535 square feet (square meter) cargo terminal located in Chongqing’s Liangjiang New Area within the Cuntan Port area that allows access to the Yangtze River.
“Chongqing has mountains and waters,” said Yansong in a statement. “However, the Yangtze River is more than just a natural landscape in Chongqing. Because of human activities such as shipping traffic and industrial transport, this mountain city is also full of energy and movement. We want to transform this energy in Chongqing from traces of industry into energy that stimulates the imagination. People can feel the kinetic energy of the city here, but also imagine the public spaces of the future.”
MAD has massive plans to transform the site into a 213,254-square-feet (65,000-square-meter) international cruise terminal and city complex, that will accommodate a 49212-square-feet (15,000-square-meter) cruise port and 164,041 square feet (50,000 square meters) of commercial space.
The team of architects of the project also disclosed that they were inspired by the large orange gantry cranes at the freight terminal to create a design reminiscent of an alien world. Yansong said he wanted the architecture to show the industrial colors of the past and build a city that appeared to have come from somewhere else and that could perhaps head somewhere else once again someday.
Construction is set to begin in November 2022.