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Like a Dragon
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.
CCCB Arquitectos
Carlos Castanheira, Lisbon, June 1957.
Graduated in Architecture from the School of Fine Arts in Porto (1976-1981).
In 1993 he founded the practice Carlos Castanheira & Clara Bastai, Arquitectos.
Working mainly in the private sector, he has acted as juror on competition panels, participated in conferences, has been involved in setting up Architectural education courses and workshops, has curated and organized exhibitions, and has edited and published books and catalogues.
Since he was a student he has been collaborating with the Architect Álvaro Siza in various projects in Portugal but principally abroad.
. Prize for Timber Construction 2005 - AIMMP
. National Prize for Architecture in Timber 2011 – AFN/MA
. Best Wine of Tourism 2015 – Regional winner in Architecture and Landscape
. Winner of the Archdaily International Award Building of the year 2015 in the category Office Building with the project “Building on the Water – Shihlien Chemical” , co-authored with architect Álvaro Siza.
Álvaro Joaquim de Melo Siza Vieira was born in Matosinhos in 1933.
He studied architecture at the Fine Arts School of Porto between 1949 and 1955, and its first project in 1954.
He was a collaborator of Prof. Fernando Távora between 1955 and 1958. He taught at ESBAP between 1966 and 1969; rejoined in 1976 as Assistant Professor of "Construction".
Was Visiting Professor at the Polytechnic School of Lausanne, the University of Pennsylvania in Los Andes School in Bogota, Graduate School of Design of Harvard University as "Kenzo Tange Visiting Professor taught at the Architecture Faculty of Porto.
He works in Porto city.
Invited to participate in international competitions, won first place in Schlesisches Tor, Kreuzberg, Berlin (already built), the recovery of Campo di Marte, Venice (1985), in Renovation and Expansion of Casino and Restaurant Winkler, Salzburg (1986); Cultural Center of La Defense in Madrid (with José Paulo Santos) (1988/89); J. Paul Getty Museum, Malibu, California (with Peter Testa) (1993); Study for the Office of the Pietà Rondanini, Castello Sforzesco, Milan (1999); Special Plan Recoletos-Prado, Madrid (with Juan Miguel Hernandez and Carlos Leon Riaño) (2002); Toledo Hospital, Coruña (Taller de Arquitectura Sánchez-Horneros) (2003); Ciudad del Flamenco Sherry de la Frontera (with Juan Miguel Hernandez Leon) (2003); Atrio of the Alhambra, Granada (with Juan Domingo Santos) and Competition of ideas for the realization of the "Città della Musica and dell'Arte" and "Parco delle Cave" (2010).The Portuguese of the International Association of Art Critics Chamber awarded him the architecture of the Year Award (1982). In 1988 received the Architecture Gold Medal of the Supreme Council of the Madrid Architects College, the Gold Medal of the Alvar Aalto Foundation, the Prince of Wales Prize from Harvard University and the European Prize for Architecture Commission of the European Communities / Mies Foundation van der Rohe. In 1992 he was awarded the Pritzker Prize by the Hyatt Foundation of Chicago for his whole work. In 1995, the Gold Medal awarded by the Nara World Architecture Exposition. In 1996, he received the Secil Prize for Architecture. In 1998, he received the Arnold W. Brunner Memorial Prize by the American Academy of Arts and Letters, New York; Praemium Imperiale by the Japan Art Association, Tokyo, and the Gold Medal of the Circulo de Bellas Artes in Madrid. In 2000, the Fondazione Frate Sole, Pavia, awarded him the Premio Internazionale di Architettura Cross. In 2001, received the Award of Arts by Wolf Foundation in Israel. In 2002 receives the Golden Lion in Venice (best project) by the Venice Biennale. In 2004, he received the Grand Prix Urbanism 2005 by the Ministère de l'Équipement des Transports de l'Aménagement du Territoire du Tourisme et de la Mer de Paris; the Architecture Award of Granada by Granada Architects College. In 2009, receives the Medal of Royal Gold 2009 by the Royal Institute of British Architects in London. In 2010, he received the Award Fundación Cristóbal Gabarrón - Arts 2010. In 2011, receives the Gold Medal of the UIA in Tokyo. In 2012, he received the Honorary Award AR & PA 2012 by Consejeria of Tourism and Culture of the Junta de Castilla y Leon Valladolid. In 2014, he received the MCHAP Award, the Illinois Institute of Technology College of Architecture in Chicago. Winner of the Archdaily International Award Building of the year 2015 in the category Office Building with the project “Building on the Water – Shihlien Chemical” , co-authored with architect Carlos Castanheira.
