City of Guangzhou

This design for the City of Guangzhou Sightseeing Tower expresses the strength and vision for the future appropriate to the most prosperous city in Southern China. The Chinese language character of “zhou” – meaning “island in a river” expressed as flowing strokes winding around three dots – is the geometric inspiration for the twisting towers curving around suspended observation decks and coalescing into a single object. The structure and cladding of the towers recalls that of a denglong – a traditional Chinese lantern of woven bamboo strips. When illuminated at night, the tower is transformed into an enormous lamp. Rising up from the banks of the Pearl River, the tower pushes the boundaries of technology while serving to orient the city, establishing a visual link between north and south, and acting as a symbol of progress and longevity.