spatial practice frames harbin twin towers as digital gateway

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spatial practice frames harbin twin towers as digital gateway
all images courtesy of spatial practice

performing as a digital gateway that frames the city, the ‘harbin twin towers’ by chinese studio spatial practice are integrated with the site’s transportation hub. situated in harbin, haxi district in china, the high-rises provide access to the station, connecting not only to major cities in china, but also the infrastructural network of the surrounding area. the design encourages high-levels of social interaction, influenced by shortened travel distances between places that fosters faster business transactions and communication. giant media façades on the sides of the buildings help to activate the adjacent plaza, facilitating connections between travelers, commuters and residents. contrasting elements within the structure balance between empty and full, mass and void, private and public spaces. the programs of each generate a dialogue with the site – the north soho and service apartment atrium opens towards the plaza, while the south office block is orientated facing the business district. in response to harbin’s extreme climate conditions, multi-functional green terraces are inserted into the upper volume and residential units, these suspended micro-climates create a new typology of indoor living for the area.

the two towers frame the city and are integrated with the surrounding transportation network

giant media façades help to activate the adjacent plaza and encourage connections

the forms balance between empty and full, mass and void, private and public spaces

multi-functional green terraces are inserted into the upper volume and residential units

suspended micro-climates create a new typology of indoor living for the area

section through the ‘harbin twin towers’ and surrounding plaza

diagram showing their geometrically balanced shape

plans

concept model

project info:

location: harbin, haxi district, china
program: office, residential, retail, parking and landscape
status: design proposal
year: july, 2013
client: kaishengyuan group
architect: spatial practice
partners in charge: erik amir, dora chi
project architect: max gerthel
team: calvin w. liu, cathal peter quinn, james beadnall, sarah gexiaorui, victor quirosquiros, emily wu local architect: harbin institute of technology
structural engineers: burohappold, matthew smith, henry li
visualization: ADRI, german glessner group
physical model: gereide models beijing