Like a coiled, sleeping dragon, this office building floats on the water of the lake, which is also the dam for the Shihlien Chemical Industrial factory in Huai’an, Jiangsu province, PRC.
The idea of placing the main office building on water was implicit in the master plan for the factory, as this primarily chemical industry needs a reservoir to ensure its permanent, constant production.
The curved shape of the volume, accessed across two bridges, makes it seem to move as one approach and moves away.
The extremely simple organization is distributed on two levels: the main entrance is on the east side, where the central foyer provides access to the work area in a south-facing unit, with another north-facing unit for the social and exhibition zones. The service entrance, restaurant and kitchen areas all face north. The administration zones and facilities of the associate companies are on the upper floor.
The highlights of the main body include the volumes for the special zones such as the meeting rooms and the auditorium. Stairs, bridges and a ramped bridge facilitate accessibility, functionality and circulation between the spaces.
White concrete, aluminum/wood window frames and glass characterize the materiality of the building in contrast to the fluidity of the water body that supports it.
The building moves, always displaying its different forms with controlled elegance, exposed to light and shadows, with changing colors and reflections.
As architecture should it be.
Carlos Castanheira
Architects:
Álvaro Siza
with
Carlos Castanheira
Office in Portugal:
CC&CB – Architects, Lda.
Project Architects:
1st phase (Preliminary Project)
Pedro Carvalho (2010)
Luís Reis (2010-2011)
2st phase (Execution Project)
Luís Trigueiros Reis (2010-2014)
Project Team:
Diana Vasconcelos
Susana Oliveira
Elisabete Queirós
Orlando Sousa
Rita Ferreira
João Figueiredo
Caitriona Maclip
Carolina Leite
Anand Sonecha
Sofia Conceição
3D Visualisation
Francesco Sechi
João Figueiredo
Pedro Afonso
José Soares
Local Permit Architects and Engineers:
United Architects & Engineers Co., Ltd
Engineering
Structural:
United Architects & Engineers Co., Ltd
Electrical:
Shanghai Qingya Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Co.
Mechanical:
Shanghai Qingya Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Co.
Project management & Construction supervision:
Stephen Wang & Richard Wang with Chiou-Hui Lin
Engineering consultants:
Structure:
HDP –
Construction and Engineering Projects, Lda.
Mechanical:
G E T –
Thermal Management System, Lda
Lighting:
GPIC –
Project Business Consulting, Lda
Waterproofing of the concrete construction:
SIKA –
Solutions and construction products, SA
Structural review:
RFR Shanghai
Water drainage:
Geberit China
Creative Integration Consultant:
Xue Xue Institute
Xue Xue Foundation
Client:
Por-Shih Lin, Chairman,
Shihlien Chemical Industrial Jiangsu Co.
Construction company:
Zhejiang Urban Construction Group
Site area:
103 000 m2
Built area or Total floor area:
14 000 m2
Model:
Alvaro Negrello
Photography:
Fernando Guerra FG+SG
Fotografia de Arquitectura
Photography During Construction Time:
Carlos Castanheira
Stephen Wang
Richard Wang
Luís Trigueiros Reis
Model photos:
Luís Trigueiros Reis
