项目名称：时光塔

地点：烟台，中国

设计团队：OPEN建筑事务所

面积：4960 m²

完工时间：2024年

摄影师：Iwan Baan, Jonathan Leijonhufvud

设计特色：

项目 - OPEN建筑事务所最新揭幕的"时光塔"项目坐落于中国东部海岸线，这座雕塑般的文化中心将天体运动和自然现象融入建筑设计中，以当代手法诠释了古老的日光崇拜传统。

这座位于烟台开发区海滨的建筑达到4960平方米，以白色混凝土贝壳状结构矗立于海边，融合了户外剧场、数字展览空间，以及一个仿佛悬浮于海面之上的图书馆。

塔楼最独特的特征在于其几何形态，每一个角度都经过精密计算，与全年特定的太阳运行轨迹相呼应。建筑北侧边缘与春秋分日正午阳光平行，户外剧场的轴线则指向夏至日在芝罘岛上的日出方向，而入口通道的设计则对应冬至日落的位置。

OPEN建筑事务所创始人李虎和黄文菁解释道："我们希望打造一座文化'灯塔'，将古老智慧与当代城市生活连接起来。这座建筑将无形的自然能量转化为可感知的体验。"

建筑由两层主要贝壳状结构组成——外层起保护作用，内层则为凹面设计，能够收集和放大海浪声。这两层结构之间，是一条蜿蜒向上的环形通道，用于数字展览；建筑顶部设有图书馆和"现象空间"——这是一个半露天的中空区域，配有中央天窗和水池，每小时都会产生一次迷人的涡流效果。

值得注意的是，该项目着重强调被动式环境策略，大量减少空调使用，转而采用自然通风技术。设计使用地道制冷、热质量和烟囱效应等手法来维持室内舒适度，同时最大限度地减少能源消耗。

建筑坐落在一个贝壳形状的广场之上，这个广场同时也是一个精密的计时装置。以中心点向外辐射的同心椭圆环，在春秋分期间可通过塔影在水渠上的投射来显示时间。广场外环设有喷泉，与中国农历二十四节气相呼应，并与海潮涨落同步。

通过创新地融合天文定位、环保意识和文化功能，时光塔成为一座现代丰碑，诠释了人类与自然循环和天体韵律之间永恒的联系。

团队 - OPEN建筑事务所由李虎和黄文菁于2003年在纽约创立，并于2008年在北京设立工作室，已发展成为中国最具创新力的建筑设计机构之一。该事务所因其将文化敏感性与环境意识无缝融合的前瞻性建筑理念而获得国际认可。

创始合伙人李虎和黄文菁均毕业于著名学府（清华大学、普林斯顿大学和莱斯大学），在他们的带领下，OPEN打造了一系列突破传统建筑范式的开创性项目。其作品涵盖文化、教育和公共领域，代表作包括UCCA沙丘美术馆、山谷音乐厅等。

事务所的设计理念核心在于通过他们所称的"激进诗意"——将大胆的概念思维与诗意的空间品质相结合，在建筑、自然和人文体验之间创造有意义的联结。这一理念为他们赢得了众多荣誉，包括美国建筑师协会国际设计奖、英国Civic Trust Awards，以及2022年Wallpaper*中国年度设计师等。

目前，OPEN由五位理事协助创始合伙人工作，通过研究导向的方法论和对可持续性的承诺，持续推动建筑设计的边界。他们的作品始终展现着建筑如何能够在城市发展与环境管理之间起到调和作用，同时创造促进人际互动和文化交流的空间。

Project Name: Sun Tower

Location: Yantai, China

Design Team: OPEN Architecture

Area: 4,960 m²

Completion Year: 2024

Photographers: Iwan Baan, Jonathan Leijonhufvud

Feature：

Project - OPEN Architecture has unveiled Sun Tower, a sculptural cultural center on China's eastern coastline that harnesses celestial movements and natural phenomena to create a contemporary interpretation of ancient sun-worshipping traditions.

Located in Yantai's seafront development zone, the 4,960-square-metre building rises as a striking composition of white concrete shells, featuring an outdoor amphitheater, digital exhibition spaces, and a library that appears to float above the ocean.

The tower's most distinctive feature is its geometry, which has been meticulously calculated to align with specific solar events throughout the year. The building's northern edge parallels the equinox noon sunlight, while its outdoor theater axis points towards sunrise over Zhifu Island during the summer solstice. Even the entrance tunnel has been positioned to capture the winter solstice sunset.

"We wanted to create a cultural 'lighthouse' that bridges ancient wisdom with contemporary urban life," explained OPEN Architecture founders Li Hu and Huang Wenjing. "The building transforms invisible natural energies into tangible experiences."

The structure comprises two primary shells – an outer protective layer and an inner concave surface that functions as an acoustic collector, amplifying the sound of waves. Between these shells, a zigzagging circulation path houses digital exhibitions, while the summit contains a library and the "Phenomena Space" – a semi-outdoor void featuring a central oculus and a pool that creates a mesmerizing water vortex every hour.

Notably, the project emphasizes passive environmental strategies, largely avoiding air conditioning in favor of natural ventilation techniques. The design incorporates tunnel cooling, thermal mass, and chimney effects to maintain comfort while minimizing energy consumption.

The building sits atop a seashell-shaped plaza that doubles as a sophisticated timekeeper. Concentric elliptical rings radiate from the center, with the tower's shadow tracking time along a water channel during equinoxes. The plaza's outer ring features fountains coordinated with the 24 Solar Terms of the Chinese lunar calendar and synchronizes with ocean tides.

Through its innovative fusion of astronomical alignments, environmental consciousness, and cultural programming, Sun Tower stands as a contemporary monument that celebrates humanity's enduring connection to natural cycles and celestial rhythms.

Design Team - OPEN Architecture, founded in New York in 2003 by Li Hu and Huang Wenjing, has emerged as one of China's most innovative architectural practices, establishing its Beijing office in 2008. The firm has garnered international recognition for its progressive approach to architecture that seamlessly integrates cultural sensitivity with environmental consciousness.

Led by founding partners Li Hu and Huang Wenjing, both graduates of prestigious institutions (Tsinghua University, Princeton University, and Rice University), OPEN has cultivated a portfolio of groundbreaking projects that challenge conventional architectural paradigms. Their work spans cultural, educational, and public realm interventions, with notable projects including the UCCA Dune Art Museum, Chapel of Sound, Sun Tower, and Tank Shanghai.

The practice's design philosophy centers on creating meaningful connections between architecture, nature, and human experience through what they term "radical poetry" - combining bold conceptual thinking with poetic spatial qualities. This approach has earned them numerous accolades, including AIA International Design Awards, the Civic Trust Awards, and recognition as Wallpaper* China Designers of the Year 2022.

Currently structured with five directors supporting the founding partners, OPEN continues to push boundaries in architectural design through their research-driven methodology and commitment to sustainability. Their work consistently demonstrates how architecture can mediate between urban development and environmental stewardship while creating spaces that enhance human interaction and cultural exchange.