GLOBAL SPACES: The Lotus Building
Beyond the topic of aesthetics, a major part of an architect’s design is the narrative. I’ve always thought that a created object becomes more beautiful once I learn more about the story it is trying to tell. The dialogue between the built work and the spectator is of great importance in architectural design. I believe that it is the architect’s role to narrate a story through conscious design choices. In this sense, the building becomes more than just a built form — it becomes a part of the temporal consciousness of the spectator.
Because of its design narrative, The Lotus Building in Wujin, China is the centerpiece for this week’s case study. Commissioned by the government of the Wujin district, this monumental feat by studio605 completed in 2013, sits as the blossom in the middle of a concrete jungle. This civil service building is actually built over a pre-existing subterranean public institution known as the Wujin Visitor and Planning Center. The government of Wujin felt that their current space was obscured within the city and decided that it would benefit their city if they had created a space that gathered the interest of citizens and visitors alike.
The building is situated on top of a 30000 square feet artificial lake, truly exemplifying the nature of a lotus flower. Because the existing building is underground, visitors enter beneath the lotus structure and are welcomed by a “tall, and cathedral-like” atrium with an eye-catching, “stamen-esque,” seven-meter chandelier in the apex of the room.
The composition is comprised with color and light in mind. No matter the weather, the Lotus Building produces tessellations of luminous shapes through the hand-laid hexagon tiles seen both inside and out, which keeps the sensory experience of the visitor at its highest peak through all times. The lake water also produces gratifying effects as the light reflects off it, and more incredibly so at night.
Furthermore, the Lotus Building takes pride of its sustainable design. There are 2500 geothermal piles at the base of the lake that helps maintain ventilation throughout the building, may it be in the summer, or the winter. The building uses evaporative cooling from the lake that helps operate a thermal chimney to regulate the temperature in the interior.
However, I think the most interesting part about the design of this building is what it means for the people it’s built for. The creation of such wondrous structure symbolizes the unity and harmony of the city of Wujin for the future. The building also represents the concrete idea of the government’s promises and aspirations for the people. They wanted to have something in the city that the people would take pride in.
The design of the building itself is the three stages of a blooming lotus flower. This symbolizes the burgeoning of the city of Wujin. The Lotus Building exemplifies that amidst the uniformity and monotony of industrialization, there is a luminous glint of hope and opportunity. The government felt that many of their citizens move out to other cities to find their luck, but with a structure like the Lotus Building, it creates a narrative between the city and its people. Now, there is a story that needs to carry on, and for the people of Wujin, the Lotus Building becomes the beaming centerpiece for the blossoming future ahead.