Archinect - News

OPEN Architecture's coastal cultural center Sun Tower opens in Yantai

2024-11-04T08:00:00-05:00

OPEN Architecture’s striking, cone-shaped cultural venue, Sun Tower, has officially opened in Yantai, China. Situated along the coast of the Yellow Sea, the structure encompasses an outdoor theater, exhibition spaces, library, café and bar, and a special semi-outdoor observation deck. Its design was informed by the passage of the sun.

Photo: Jonathan Leijonhufvud

Sun Tower provides a much needed cultural hub for the growing population of Yantai's Yeda Development Zone. Established in 1984, the Zone transformed the area, which consisted mainly of fishing villages, into a district of industry and tourism.

Photo: Jonathan Leijonhufvud

OPEN Architecture conceived the project’s design as a celebration of the area’s historical connection to the sun and sea. It is one of the earliest regions in China where ancient sun-worshiping occurred and where Ming Dynasty-era watchtowers were erected. The structure’s design also features a contemporary take on the typology of lighthouses.

Photo: Jonatha...

OPEN Architecture's sculptural Sun Tower tops out

2023-06-29T17:48:00-04:00

OPEN Architecture has shared construction photos of its new Sun Tower project, which recently topped out in the coastal Chinese city of Yantai.

The program of the 164-foot tower is divided into three parts from the ground up. The semi-outdoor theater contained at its base gives way to a mid-level exhibition space that’s topped by a small library and viewing area on the uppermost floor. Its concave composite shell serves as "sound collector" while finally, a well-placed oculus at the top of the structure allows for rainwater to enter into a small pool that remains dry in the winter in order to be reused as a fireplace.

Previously on Archinect: OPEN unveils new details on Yantai Sun Tower project

The firm describes: “Looking beyond image making, we wanted to create something meaningful at least on two fundamental levels: One is to remind people [of] the wonders of nature that are often forgotten in the hustle and bustle of daily life; the other is to bring much needed public programs i...

OPEN unveils new details on Yantai Sun Tower project

2022-02-15T14:41:00-05:00

Beijing-based firm OPEN Architecture has revealed the design of its under-construction Sun Tower project located in Yantai, China, a city along the coast of the Yellow Sea.

The tower, the recipient of the Jeu d’Esprit Special Prize of AR Future Project Awards 2021, comprises a semi-outdoor theater, a winding exhibition space, and a library in the sky. The structure also features a unique semi-outdoor space at the top, called a “phenomena space,” that allows visitors to observe natural phenomena throughout the year.

The city of Yantai wanted to create a landmark on the coast as a symbol of its rapid development and status as an industrial powerhouse in China. The name Yantai means “Beacon Tower,” derived from the series of watchtowers built during the Ming Dynasty to warn against impending attacks on the coastline. OPEN’s response to the design brief was to establish a purposeful structure that connected to this history and evoked the ancient rituals of nature worship while providin...