Design 27

DRA&U Architects The tower is designed as a competition proposal for the Wine Museum in Cerro San Cristòbal, north of Santiago. Architects at DRA&U decided to use the idea of a tower and turn it into an exhibition space. The aim was to use the interior dynamics as a generative force for the entire design, ultimately treating its form as sculpture. By trying to avoid the conventional “box” appearance of a museum, they let the organization of the exhibition spaces affect the distribution of openings and envelope design. External and internal volumes thus become connected with great number of “capillaries”. The system of ”capillaries” helps to prevent direct light in exhibition spaces, and at the same time permits visitors to observe the city or park. The idea of integrating a 100 m high building into the natural surroundings was approached from a systemic standpoint. Focusing on the principles of living organisms, in reference to Balmond’s writing, the project tries to engage

Haikou Tower Hainan, China Competition 2011, 1st prize Completion 2015 © HENN Haikou Towers are projected to become the heart of the new Central Business District of Haikou, the capital city of Hainan, a tropical island in the in the South China Sea. The Masterplan comprises an ensemble of 10 Towers ranging from 150 to 450 meters height with an overall building area of 1.5 million square meters. Form and structure of the 450m high tower have been directly informed by the program requirements of the building and the drive for an efficient structural scheme. The occupant needs for an office space and hotel room are distinctly different and have led to a shift in the structural system at the boundary between the two functions. The shift in systems occurs at the hotel lobby area in the form of a large outrigger truss. This truss is purposefully exposed and integrated into the architecture to provide a clear distinction between functions and structural systems and is a key feature of the ov