FUZHOU MODERN TULOU - THE ANCIENT ARCHITECTURE IN MODERN ERA
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We’re thrilled to announce that NDA’s Fuzhou Modern Tulou has been shortlisted for this year’s 2021 World Architectural Festival (WAF) – Office: Future Projects Awards. It is a huge honour for NDA to be recognised at one of the most prestigious events dedicated to the architecture and development industry, and with previous Office Project winners including Barcelona’s Media-ICT building and the Co Op Kyosai Plaza in Tokyo, we are in good company.
This honour is in addition to the Fuzhou Modern Tulou having already been recognised by prestigious award bodies, including winning the 2021 A’Design Awards Gold Award, the 2021 Muse Design Awards Platinum Winner in the Office Building category, the Excellence Award in the Commercial vategory at the 2018 REARD Global Design Awards, and being finalist in the Commercial category at the 2019 Dubai Cityscape awards.
The Fuzhou Modern Tulou stands at the crossroads of ancient culture and cutting edge technology. It is an integral part of the larger Fuzhou Exhibition Waterfront Complex which connects the existing exhibition space and the NDA designed world class marina. We crafted two identical tulou structures across a 70,000sqm with the ambition of being commercial landmarks to mark identity, attract talent and spur growth. Given this context, we created it to simultaneously provide a 24 hour lifestyle centre that simultaneously spearheads the millennial workforce revolution.
To be a meaningful icon for the ancient yet forward thinking city, we applied NDA vision to local tulou architectural style and the region’s rich seafaring heritage to craft a modern beacon of Fuzhou’s rich history, commercial prowess and bright future.
Honouring Heritage
At NDA we honour local culture by smartly weaving it into every facet of our design, and in this case were mindful not just of the design but also of the utility of the space. Lying on China’s south coast, Fujian has been a nautical trading powerhouse for centuries, and we honour this by designing the façade to echo a wooden ship’s hull.
The interior’s use of space, people flows and communal narrative were inspired by Fujian’s unique tulou architecture. The earliest of the tulou date from the 1300’s when the Hakka people moved to the region from the north, bringing with them a rich culture focused on education and family. With their visually impressive, enclosed round design, tulou were a defensive structure with an open courtyard where libraries stood at pride of place in conjunction with family shrines.
We see this sentiment toward education and community as a main anchor of the Fuzhou Modern Tulou and echo it in our designs.
Sustainability
The flows of the structure are shaped by their green features, with generous atriums on the inside and cantilevered terraces that create sheltered space on the outside. The second skin that envelopes the building features translucent panels that are intertwined with adjustable shutter panels, which together hark toward flexibility and environmental consciousness.
NDA Vision for Fuzhou Modern Tulou
We are spearheading the millennial workforce revolution by combining the best of ancient heritage with visions of the future.
The unique atrium design of tulou architecture is brought into the modern age where offices surround a large central courtyard. Bright and accessible, we open up our tulou to the world, where the courtyard is a physical and symbolic centre of education with flows of people interacting, exchanging ideas and building community.
Patios and terraces are set in and around the Fuzhou Modern Tulou, alongside the ground floor retail and F&B space, encouraging people to move and explore. At once, we can satisfy the needs of millennial workforces who demand a crossover between life and work, whilst simultaneously paying homage to the culture of ancient tulou inhabitants: communal, integrated, and educated.
Specifications
Building area: 37,350 sqm 5 floors - 29.300 m elevation Program: company headquarters (9,350 sqm) + 3 affiliate company offices (16,450 sqm) + commercials (9,500 sqm) + common spaces ( 2,050 sqm)
