Description
Dishui Lake is the largest man-made lake in China. The lake covers 5.56 million square meters of land and has become a beacon of world-class architectural design—including a masterplan by Ennead Architects that is now underway. The area offers many leisure and tourist activities and has quickly become a commercial hub and tourist destination for the region. Studio Libeskind began working with Gala Shanghai in 2020 on the first plot, Joinery Tower.
The Joinery Tower complex is located just to the North of the Ennead’s planned Ring Building at the center of the masterplan. Inspired by traditional Chinese wood joinery, the tower’s form appears to be composed of interlocking geometric shapes that feature contrasting materials. The façade is striped with stone and glass panels that unify the form.
The 52,500 m2 project features two towers that are connected via a pedestrian bridge. The taller tower is a 20-story office tower that rises to approximately 110 meters, and the lower is seven-stories and 50 meters. The Tower forms the cornerstone for a 9-block neighborhood. Together with its counterpart on the opposite side of the central axis, it creates the North architectural gateway to Dishui Lake.
Composed of 4 primary interlocking parts, our tower references the 4 main towers of the masterplan. Located in the center of the Shanghai pilot free trade zone, it represents international collaboration between the 4 hemispheres – East, West, North and South. The Joinery Tower stands as a testament to collaboration, exchange, trade and peace.