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.

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 into the new town where rapid urban development now finds itself deficient in culture. We hope it will be a unique cultural 'lighthouse' where our ancient wisdom in respecting nature will be integrated into the contemporary urban life.”

Another pool is located along one perimeter of the tower’s base, connecting to a diagonal water channel that combines with the building’s shadow to chart the movement of the sun like a “ruler of time.” 

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Further exterior water features pay homage to the 24 solar terms of the traditional Chinese calendar, while back inside, a crisscrossed series of staircases in between the building's envelope and inner layer double as digital exhibition spaces in order to enhance its intended function as a cultural refuge. As the firm says: “Traversing through the tower is a journey through multimedia exhibitions with views to the ocean at each turning point.”

A timelapse of the tower's construction can be viewed below.

Video courtesy OPEN Architecture on Vimeo.